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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · press · bank · club · fall · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. club — for golf
  3. fall — to drop
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bank — of a river
  7. club — a group
  8. pit — a hole
  9. current — electric
  10. bank — for money
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bank — for money
  13. club — for dancing
  14. press — to push
  15. current — happening now
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. press — a publisher

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