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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. object — a thing
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. branch — a division
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. pit — a hole
  8. staff — employees
  9. saw — the tool
  10. current — happening now
  11. rock — music
  12. kid — to tease
  13. staff — a stick
  14. kid — child
  15. object — an aim
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. object — to protest
  20. staff — employees
  21. current — of water
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. current — electric
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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