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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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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: scale · bulb · present · current · object · branch · game · snap

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. present — there
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. present — a gift
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. game — wild animals
  7. snap — to click
  8. branch — a division
  9. scale — in music
  10. object — an aim
  11. current — electric
  12. bulb — for light
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. object — a thing
  15. bulb — for light
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. object — to protest
  18. present — the time now
  19. current — happening now
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. scale — size or range
  24. game — a match

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