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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.

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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: bowl · current · nail · sharp · snap · branch · swing · fork

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. current — electric
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. swing — music
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fork — in a road
  12. current — happening now
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. snap — to click
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. swing — to play on
  18. current — of water
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. branch — a division
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. swing — in golf
  24. sharp — with an edge

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