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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bank — for money
  8. current — electric
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rock — music
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bank — for money
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rock — a stone
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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