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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 116 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. bank — for money
  3. bear — the animal
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. season — in sport
  7. cap — of ice
  8. current — electric
  9. rule — a law
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. current — happening now
  12. tear — to rip
  13. current — of water
  14. tear — from crying
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cap — a lid
  18. season — of the year
  19. tear — from crying
  20. cap — a hat
  21. rule — government
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bear — the animal
  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