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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 116 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. current — of water
  3. ground — a position
  4. court — of a king
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. current — electric
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. court — of law
  12. race — humankind
  13. court — for sport
  14. current — happening now
  15. branch — a division
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. race — the arms race
  18. object — an aim
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pound — a weight
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. object — a thing
  23. race — a contest
  24. object — to protest

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