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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. season — in sport
  3. scale — size or range
  4. current — electric
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. current — of water
  7. bound — obliged
  8. branch — a division
  9. scale — in music
  10. current — happening now
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bound — tied together
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bound — certain
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. season — of the year
  23. lie — to recline
  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