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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. current — happening now
  3. land — a country
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. land — ground
  7. pitch — completely
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. land — to come down
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. ball — a dance
  14. chair — a leader
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. cell — a phone
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. current — electric
  21. ball — a great time
  22. current — of water
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. ball — a round shape

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