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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bank — of a river
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. current — electric
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. game — wild animals
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. current — happening now
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bank — for money
  21. kick — in football
  22. saw — the tool
  23. game — a match
  24. current — of water

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