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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bank — for money
  5. current — of water
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. cold — not warm
  8. cold — an illness
  9. bank — of a river
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bat — the animal
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. charge — in control
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. board — to get on
  18. mark — a grade
  19. saw — the tool
  20. board — a committee
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. charge — a price
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. charge — electricity

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