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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bank — for money
  3. net — after costs
  4. rock — music
  5. current — of water
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bank — for money
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bank — of a river
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. net — in sport
  13. current — happening now
  14. rock — a stone
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. current — electric

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