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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. current — happening now
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. current — electric
  8. branch — a division
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. current — of water
  11. squash — the sport
  12. saw — the tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. mate — a partner
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mate — to breed
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mate — a friend
  23. game — a match
  24. game — wild animals

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