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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. object — an aim
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. spring — the season
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. branch — a division
  11. current — happening now
  12. object — to protest
  13. spring — of water
  14. current — of water
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. object — a thing
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. current — electric
  23. spring — a coil
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com