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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. current — happening now
  4. bank — for money
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bank — for money
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. current — electric
  9. degree — from a university
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rush — hurry
  14. current — of water
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. vault — a safe
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bank — of a river
  24. degree — an amount

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