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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. current — happening now
  3. bank — for money
  4. suit — in cards
  5. branch — a division
  6. rest — a break
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. current — of water
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. firm — decided
  13. suit — to fit
  14. firm — a company
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — a city
  17. current — electric
  18. bank — of a river
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bank — for money
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. firm — steady
  24. branch — of a tree

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