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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. branch — a division
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. current — electric
  5. clip — a video
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. clip — to cut
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bank — for money
  13. clip — for paper
  14. current — happening now
  15. ball — a great time
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. current — of water
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. branch — of a tree

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