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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. last — finally
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stock — shares
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. current — happening now
  11. stock — goods
  12. current — electric
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bank — of a river
  15. face — to confront
  16. current — of water
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bank — for money
  20. last — to go on
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bank — for money
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rest — a break

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