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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 120 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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. current — of water
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bank — for money
  5. mine — for digging
  6. charge — in control
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mug — a cup
  11. staff — employees
  12. current — happening now
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mug — a face
  15. land — ground
  16. charge — a price
  17. current — electric
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mug — to rob
  20. land — a country
  21. land — to come down
  22. staff — employees
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bank — of a river

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