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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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bank — for money
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. scale — in music
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bank — of a river
  9. current — of water
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. content — happy
  12. bank — for money
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. season — in sport
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — of the year
  20. snap — to click
  21. content — the amount
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mine — for digging

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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