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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 124 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pop — soda
  9. branch — a division
  10. saw — the tool
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. current — electric
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. current — happening now
  18. lean — to bend
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. staff — a stick
  23. current — of water
  24. pop — to visit

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