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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. current — electric
  5. ball — a great time
  6. net — after costs
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. current — of water
  11. net — in sport
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. can — a tin
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. can — a tin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. can — to be able to
  24. current — happening now

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