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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bear — the animal
  3. capital — money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. can — a tin
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. current — electric
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. can — a tin
  11. ball — a dance
  12. capital — a city
  13. fine — high quality
  14. prune — to trim
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bank — for money
  18. current — happening now
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. fine — all right
  22. prune — to trim
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bank — for money

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