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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. shower — rain
  4. current — happening now
  5. shower — to wash
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — for dancing
  8. current — of water
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bank — for money
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. suit — in cards
  14. last — to go on
  15. club — a group
  16. suit — clothes
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bore — to drill
  21. current — electric
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. last — final

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