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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ground — the earth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. current — happening now
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. game — a match
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. current — electric
  21. rock — music
  22. current — of water
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ground — a position

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