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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. fine — all right
  3. pop — to visit
  4. fine — high quality
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bore — to tire
  8. branch — a division
  9. current — of water
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pop — music
  13. bore — to drill
  14. kid — child
  15. board — to get on
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pop — soda
  18. kid — to tease
  19. board — a committee
  20. current — electric
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. current — happening now
  24. pit — in a race

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