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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. net — for catching
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. present — the time now
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bank — for money
  10. fork — in a road
  11. band — a ring
  12. present — there
  13. current — electric
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. current — of water
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. present — a gift
  19. bear — the animal
  20. net — in sport
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. current — happening now
  24. band — a music group

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