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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. club — for golf
  8. foot — a measure
  9. current — happening now
  10. branch — a division
  11. club — a group
  12. current — of water
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. current — electric
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stem — to come from
  17. press — newspapers
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. press — a publisher
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. press — to push
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. club — for dancing

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