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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. lean — thin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. face — part of the head
  5. current — happening now
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bank — for money
  8. current — of water
  9. bank — for money
  10. pit — in a race
  11. suit — to fit
  12. net — after costs
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. current — electric
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. suit — in cards
  18. lean — to bend
  19. face — to confront
  20. suit — clothes
  21. net — for catching
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bank — of a river
  24. face — to point toward

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