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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bank — for money
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. current — of water
  5. game — a match
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bank — of a river
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. current — happening now
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. current — electric
  20. roll — a list
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. roll — a cake
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. game — wild animals

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