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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bank — for money
  6. band — a ring
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — in a race
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. current — electric
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. scale — in music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bank — for money
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. current — of water
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a music group
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — happening now

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