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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bank — of a river
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. cell — a phone
  7. game — wild animals
  8. rock — music
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cell — in biology
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. pit — in a race
  14. current — happening now
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. pound — a weight
  19. current — electric
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. current — of water
  24. game — a kind of play

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