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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. current — happening now
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. current — electric
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. rash — a series
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rash — hasty
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. current — of water
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. dip — to dunk

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