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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. current — happening now
  3. branch — a division
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — a trace
  7. current — electric
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — all right
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. charge — a price
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cold — not warm
  14. current — of water
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. cold — an illness
  22. charge — in control
  23. mark — a grade
  24. charge — electricity

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