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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. current — of water
  3. ground — crushed
  4. pop — music
  5. firm — steady
  6. ground — the earth
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. saw — the tool
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. firm — decided
  15. pop — soda
  16. branch — a division
  17. firm — a company
  18. march — music
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pitch — completely
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ground — a position

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