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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bank — for money
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. current — of water
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rash — a series
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — in a race
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cue — for pool
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bank — of a river
  15. degree — temperature
  16. cue — a signal
  17. current — happening now
  18. degree — from a university
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rash — hasty
  21. current — electric
  22. degree — an amount
  23. bank — for money
  24. arm — part of the body

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