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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. current — electric
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. current — of water
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hand — in cards
  11. saw — the tool
  12. current — happening now
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a line
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. stock — shares
  21. hand — help
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mug — to rob
  24. branch — a division

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