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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bank — for money
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. game — a match
  5. pit — a hole
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bank — of a river
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pop — music
  10. pit — in a race
  11. object — an aim
  12. bank — for money
  13. pop — soda
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. game — wild animals
  18. object — to protest
  19. current — of water
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pop — to visit
  22. current — electric
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. object — a thing

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