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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. march — the month
  5. bank — of a river
  6. current — electric
  7. staff — a stick
  8. land — a country
  9. bank — for money
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. march — music
  14. staff — employees
  15. rash — hasty
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. rash — a series
  18. march — the month
  19. land — to come down
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. land — ground
  22. bank — for money
  23. staff — employees
  24. pit — in a race

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