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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 124 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bank — for money
  3. current — electric
  4. shower — rain
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bank — for money
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. current — of water
  12. pound — a weight
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bank — of a river
  15. scale — in music
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. current — happening now
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. pit — a hole
  21. foot — a measure
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pound — to hit hard

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