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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. present — the time now
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. present — a gift
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rash — a series
  15. fine — all right
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bank — for money
  20. date — the fruit
  21. present — there
  22. bank — for money
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rash — hasty

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