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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 120 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bound — certain
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. land — to come down
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. current — electric
  12. bank — for money
  13. bound — obliged
  14. current — happening now
  15. bound — tied together
  16. saw — the tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. land — ground
  19. face — to point toward
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. face — to confront
  22. fork — in a road
  23. face — part of the head
  24. current — of water

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