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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pop — soda
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — electric
  11. pop — music
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. rest — what's left
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. rest — a break
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bank — for money

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