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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. branch — a division
  9. band — a ring
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. wound — an injury
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bear — the animal
  17. current — happening now
  18. deal — to handle
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bear — to put up with

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