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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 116 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
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: racket · bear · branch · mate · face · pitcher · current · perch

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. current — electric
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mate — to breed
  8. face — part of the head
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bear — the animal
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. face — to confront
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. face — to point toward
  17. current — happening now
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. perch — the fish
  20. branch — a division
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. current — of water
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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