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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. race — the arms race
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. last — to go on
  11. race — a contest
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. can — to be able to
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. last — finally
  18. last — final
  19. current — of water
  20. branch — a division
  21. current — happening now
  22. race — humankind
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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