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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. current — of water
  3. kick — in football
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bank — for money
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bank — of a river
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. scale — size or range
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bound — certain
  17. scale — in music
  18. current — electric
  19. bank — for money
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. season — in sport
  22. current — happening now
  23. bound — tied together
  24. kick — a thrill

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