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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. present — the time now
  5. current — of water
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. current — happening now
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. current — electric
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — there

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