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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: rock · branch · mine · pit · bowl · perch · charge · current

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. charge — a price
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. charge — in control
  6. perch — the fish
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. current — happening now
  9. branch — a division
  10. current — of water
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pit — a hole
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mine — for digging
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rock — music
  24. mine — an explosive

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