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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. lie — to recline
  7. suit — to fit
  8. current — electric
  9. current — happening now
  10. mine — for digging
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. deal — to handle
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. current — of water
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. suit — in cards
  23. saw — the tool
  24. branch — a division

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