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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. current — electric
  5. prune — to trim
  6. rush — hurry
  7. current — happening now
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. perch — the fish
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. board — to get on
  14. prune — to trim
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. branch — a division
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. board — a committee
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rush — to hurry
  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