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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bank — for money
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. bank — for money
  7. ground — the earth
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — to tease
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bank — of a river
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ground — a position
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ground — crushed
  24. current — of water

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