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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. tear — from crying
  3. current — of water
  4. hand — in cards
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. net — after costs
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. present — the time now
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. tear — from crying
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. present — there
  19. tear — to rip
  20. net — for catching
  21. present — a gift
  22. pit — in a race
  23. net — in sport
  24. mate — to breed

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