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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. current — electric
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. present — a gift
  5. suit — clothes
  6. present — there
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bank — for money
  9. current — of water
  10. current — happening now
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. staff — a stick
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. staff — employees
  18. bank — of a river
  19. present — the time now
  20. bat — the animal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. staff — employees
  24. stock — shares

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