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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. court — for sport
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. current — happening now
  6. press — to push
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. court — of law
  9. current — of water
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. court — of a king
  12. bank — for money
  13. kid — child
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rock — music
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. current — electric
  18. kid — to tease
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — a publisher
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rock — a stone
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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