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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. bank — of a river
  6. spell — letters
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bank — for money
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chest — a box
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bank — for money
  15. spell — magic
  16. bear — the animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. spell — a short time

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