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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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bank — for money
  3. current — happening now
  4. pop — soda
  5. present — a gift
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lean — thin
  13. swing — in golf
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. current — of water
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pop — music
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. current — electric
  21. swing — music
  22. present — the time now
  23. kick — in football
  24. present — there

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