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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mark — a grade
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mark — a trace
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. current — of water
  10. bank — for money
  11. shower — rain
  12. current — electric
  13. rest — what's left
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chair — a leader
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bank — for money
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. shower — to wash
  23. current — happening now
  24. bay — a horse colour

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