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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 116 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. current — happening now
  2. chip — to eat
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — to play on
  10. current — electric
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. branch — a division
  13. plane — a tool
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. root — of a word
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. root — of a plant
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. root — the cause
  22. chip — for betting
  23. perch — the fish
  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