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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fine — high quality
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — magic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. current — of water
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. spell — a short time
  14. branch — a division
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. fine — all right
  17. roll — a cake
  18. current — happening now
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. current — electric
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. roll — a list
  24. spell — letters

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