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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. current — of water
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. row — a line
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. staff — employees
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bank — of a river
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hand — help
  17. bank — for money
  18. staff — employees
  19. fork — in a road
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hand — in cards
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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