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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bank — for money
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bark — to shout
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bank — for money
  8. key — in music
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mate — a partner
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. current — electric
  13. snap — to click
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mate — to breed
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bank — of a river
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. current — happening now
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — gave birth

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