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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. current — electric
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. press — newspapers
  6. press — a publisher
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. current — of water
  10. current — happening now
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bank — for money
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. shower — to wash
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. key — for a lock
  18. press — to push
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — in music
  22. shower — rain
  23. bank — for money
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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