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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: bank · file · current · content · rule · snap · perch · pit

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. current — happening now
  3. pit — a hole
  4. content — the amount
  5. perch — the fish
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. file — a tool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pit — in a race
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bank — for money
  14. content — happy
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rule — a law
  18. snap — to click
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. file — a document
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. file — a line of people
  24. perch — for a bird

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