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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bank — of a river
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. ground — a position
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bank — for money
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. current — happening now
  12. kid — child
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. plane — a tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kid — to tease
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. plane — an aircraft

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