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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. current — happening now
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. capital — a city
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bank — for money
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bank — of a river
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bass — low music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. capital — money
  23. bank — for money
  24. wake — before a funeral

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