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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. wind — moving air
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. current — electric
  7. fork — in a road
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. suit — in cards
  10. plane — a tool
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wind — moving air
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. suit — to fit
  21. current — happening now
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. current — of water

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