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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bank — for money
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — a position
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mug — to rob
  9. ground — the earth
  10. current — happening now
  11. track — a song
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mug — a cup
  16. track — a path
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mug — a face
  19. bank — for money
  20. squash — the sport
  21. stand — to bear
  22. current — electric
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the vegetable

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