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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: scale · current · mine · racket · present · branch · ground · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — there
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bear — the animal
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. present — the time now
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mine — for digging
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. branch — a division
  15. ground — crushed
  16. current — of water
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. scale — size or range
  19. current — electric
  20. present — a gift
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. ground — a position
  23. current — happening now
  24. ground — the earth

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