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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. current — of water
  6. roll — a cake
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bank — for money
  9. last — final
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bat — the animal
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. last — finally
  14. roll — a list
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. current — electric
  18. last — to go on
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bank — for money
  22. current — happening now
  23. lie — to recline
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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