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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: kid · branch · bore · pitcher · scale · fan · lean · current

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. scale — size or range
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. current — electric
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. branch — a division
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kid — to tease
  10. bore — to tire
  11. current — happening now
  12. scale — in music
  13. current — of water
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bore — to drill
  20. kid — child
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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