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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stock — goods
  3. current — happening now
  4. roll — a cake
  5. current — electric
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. root — of a word
  8. last — to go on
  9. roll — a list
  10. last — final
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. current — of water
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bank — of a river
  15. root — the cause
  16. pit — in a race
  17. last — finally
  18. bank — for money
  19. root — of a plant
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pit — a hole
  22. stock — shares
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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