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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. chip — to eat
  3. scale — in music
  4. branch — a division
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. current — happening now
  7. row — a line
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bound — obliged
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. current — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ball — a great time
  24. scale — size or range

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