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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. file — a tool
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. tube — the underground
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. file — a document
  8. root — of a word
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. sharp — clever
  11. current — of water
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. current — happening now
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. root — the cause
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. current — electric
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. fork — in a road
  21. tube — a container
  22. file — a line of people
  23. root — of a plant
  24. branch — a division

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