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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rest — a break
  10. race — the arms race
  11. current — of water
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. branch — a division
  14. firm — a company
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. race — a contest
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. firm — steady
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. firm — decided
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. plane — a tool
  23. race — humankind
  24. pitcher — a jug

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