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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. net — for catching
  3. current — electric
  4. swing — to play on
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. current — of water
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. current — happening now
  10. swing — music
  11. net — in sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. branch — a division
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. net — after costs
  17. game — a match
  18. band — a music group
  19. swing — in golf
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. band — a ring
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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