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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bear — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. current — of water
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. field — a subject
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — farmland
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wake — a trail
  14. current — electric
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. coach — a trainer

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