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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lean — thin
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. current — of water
  8. branch — a division
  9. current — electric
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cap — of ice
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stand — to bear
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lean — to bend

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