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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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. mate — a friend
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rush — hurry
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bank — for money
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. spell — magic
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mate — to breed
  24. current — electric

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