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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. current — of water
  3. staff — a stick
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pitch — completely
  6. race — humankind
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bank — for money
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. race — a contest
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bear — the animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. current — happening now
  21. bank — for money
  22. current — electric
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. mine — an explosive

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