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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. last — to go on
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. present — a gift
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rock — a stone
  9. present — there
  10. last — finally
  11. fine — high quality
  12. current — of water
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. branch — a division
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. present — the time now
  19. current — happening now
  20. last — final
  21. current — electric
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. fine — all right

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