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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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. lean — thin
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bear — the animal
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bank — of a river
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. face — to confront
  14. mine — for digging
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. face — part of the head
  20. current — happening now
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bank — for money
  24. current — of water

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