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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · wind · current · branch · lash · game

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. current — of water
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. current — happening now
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. game — a match
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. current — electric
  15. game — wild animals
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. wind — moving air

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