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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. key — the most important part
  4. prune — to trim
  5. current — of water
  6. dip — to sink
  7. court — of law
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bank — for money
  10. current — electric
  11. court — of a king
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. court — for sport
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. key — for a lock
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. key — in music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. current — happening now
  23. mine — for digging
  24. dip — to dunk

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