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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 120 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: file · pop · plane · kid · current · mark · pit · bank

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. kid — to tease
  3. current — of water
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pop — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. mark — a trace
  10. file — a tool
  11. current — electric
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pit — a hole
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. file — a line of people
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. kid — child
  19. pop — soda
  20. file — a document
  21. current — happening now
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bank — for money
  24. plane — a tool

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