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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cold — not warm
  4. bank — for money
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. current — of water
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — a contest
  11. cold — an illness
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pitch — completely
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. race — humankind
  19. suit — to fit
  20. current — electric
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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