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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. drill — army training
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. current — happening now
  6. capital — money
  7. current — of water
  8. drill — the tool
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. craft — a skill
  11. drill — a practice
  12. capital — a city
  13. bank — of a river
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. wound — an injury
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. current — electric
  24. bank — for money

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