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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
468
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 · racket · nail · chair · current · club · last · craft

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. craft — boats
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. last — final
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. club — for golf
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. club — a group
  13. branch — a division
  14. last — finally
  15. craft — a skill
  16. club — for dancing
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. current — electric
  21. last — to go on
  22. current — of water
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. current — happening now

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