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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rule — a law
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bank — for money
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. current — electric
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. craft — boats
  10. spring — of water
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. current — happening now
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rule — government
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. craft — a skill
  19. current — of water
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. kick — in football
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. kick — with a leg
  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