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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. kick — in football
  3. board — a committee
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. current — of water
  6. branch — a division
  7. board — to get on
  8. current — electric
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rock — music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. current — happening now
  21. bulb — for light
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. cap — a hat

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