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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. branch — a division
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. board — a committee
  7. current — of water
  8. cell — a phone
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. can — a tin
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — to get on
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. scale — size or range
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. scale — in music
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. current — electric
  22. wax — to grow
  23. can — to be able to
  24. cell — in biology

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