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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. net — for catching
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pop — to visit
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. net — after costs
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. pop — soda
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pit — a hole
  22. net — in sport
  23. bank — for money
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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