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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. current — happening now
  6. mug — to rob
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. current — electric
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. mug — a cup
  11. row — a line
  12. current — of water
  13. row — to paddle
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a ring
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mug — a face
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. band — a rubber band

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