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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. chest — a box
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. branch — a division
  12. net — for catching
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ball — a dance
  15. chest — of your body
  16. mug — a face
  17. current — electric
  18. pit — a hole
  19. chest — of your body
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mug — to rob
  22. net — after costs
  23. bank — for money
  24. net — in sport

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