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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. fork — in a road
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. current — of water
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mark — a trace
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. current — electric
  18. branch — a division
  19. mark — a grade
  20. band — a music group
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. band — a ring
  24. current — happening now

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