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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 120 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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. file — a document
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. suit — to fit
  6. board — a committee
  7. current — electric
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bat — the animal
  11. branch — a division
  12. file — a tool
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. cap — a hat
  21. file — a line of people
  22. board — to get on
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening 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