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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. charge — a price
  3. cap — a hat
  4. spell — a short time
  5. branch — a division
  6. current — happening now
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. charge — in control
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cap — a lid
  12. tube — the underground
  13. spell — letters
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. current — electric
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. tube — a container
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. current — of water
  23. spell — magic
  24. fork — in a road

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