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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. bank — for money
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bank — of a river
  10. current — of water
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. rash — hasty
  13. track — a path
  14. land — to come down
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. fall — the season
  17. bank — for money
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rash — a series
  20. track — a song
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. fall — to drop
  23. land — a country
  24. land — ground

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