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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. band — a music group
  6. current — happening now
  7. deal — to handle
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. current — of water
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. current — electric
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. branch — a division
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rush — hurry

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