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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rock — a stone
  5. current — happening now
  6. bank — for money
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — clothes
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mug — a cup
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. season — in sport
  15. race — humankind
  16. suit — in cards
  17. season — of the year
  18. race — a contest
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bank — of a river
  22. mug — to rob
  23. row — a line
  24. mug — a face

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