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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. present — the time now
  3. court — for sport
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. present — there
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bank — for money
  8. current — happening now
  9. present — a gift
  10. last — to go on
  11. court — of law
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. sharp — clever
  17. last — final
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bank — of a river
  20. last — finally
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bank — for money
  23. court — of a king
  24. current — electric

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