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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bank — of a river
  5. current — electric
  6. chip — for betting
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. spell — letters
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — of water
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bank — for money
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. current — happening now
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — magic
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. chip — in a computer
  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