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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — clothes
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bank — for money
  6. kid — child
  7. current — happening now
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bank — for money
  10. last — to go on
  11. current — electric
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. last — final
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. suit — in cards
  20. last — finally
  21. bank — of a river
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. current — of water
  24. rule — a law

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