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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. current — electric
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. craft — a skill
  9. land — ground
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. land — a country
  13. net — after costs
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wound — an injury
  17. craft — boats
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. current — happening now
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bank — for money
  23. current — of water
  24. land — to come down

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