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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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. net — for catching
  4. current — of water
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stem — to come from
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. current — electric
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bank — for money
  16. sharp — clever
  17. net — in sport
  18. bank — for money
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. current — happening now
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. net — after costs

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