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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.

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: branch · hide · can · kick · degree · game · current · mouse

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. game — wild animals
  4. current — happening now
  5. can — a tin
  6. degree — temperature
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. kick — in football
  13. degree — from a university
  14. branch — a division
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. game — a match
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. degree — an amount
  24. hide — to keep secret

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