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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bank — of a river
  4. firm — a company
  5. track — to keep track
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ground — a position
  13. bank — for money
  14. current — electric
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ground — the earth
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bank — for money
  19. firm — steady
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. firm — decided
  24. current — of water

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