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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 112 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. season — in sport
  4. tear — to rip
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bank — for money
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bowl — a football final

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