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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bank — of a river
  3. tube — a container
  4. current — of water
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. current — electric
  11. bank — for money
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bank — for money
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. chip — for betting
  16. wound — an injury
  17. chip — to eat
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. wound — an injury
  24. current — happening now

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