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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wound — an injury
  5. suit — clothes
  6. current — happening now
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bear — the animal
  12. current — of water
  13. bank — of a river
  14. wound — an injury
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. charge — in control
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. charge — a price
  21. bank — for money
  22. suit — to fit
  23. current — electric
  24. bank — for money

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