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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. foot — a measure
  7. current — happening now
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. current — electric
  10. bass — the fish
  11. mug — to rob
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. mug — a face
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. kick — in football
  21. mug — a cup
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. saw — the tool

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