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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bank — for money
  8. press — to push
  9. drill — army training
  10. hand — help
  11. press — a publisher
  12. drill — the tool
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. drill — a practice
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. hand — in cards
  23. press — newspapers
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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