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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pit — a hole
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. branch — a division
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. current — happening now
  9. present — there
  10. bark — to shout
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. current — electric
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. content — the amount
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. content — happy
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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