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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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Word bank
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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: game · pit · ball · bore · current · bank · last · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. lean — to bend
  5. current — happening now
  6. game — a match
  7. bore — to drill
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. bank — for money
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bore — to tire
  14. last — finally
  15. last — final
  16. pit — a hole
  17. game — wild animals
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. pit — in a race
  22. ball — a dance
  23. last — to go on
  24. lean — thin

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