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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lean — to bend
  3. current — happening now
  4. ball — a great time
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. current — of water
  10. bank — for money
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. toast — bread
  13. lean — thin
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. current — electric
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. mine — for digging
  24. nail — for a hammer

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