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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: current · suit · pass · tear · land · game · bank · dip

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. game — a match
  3. bank — of a river
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. tear — from crying
  7. suit — to fit
  8. current — electric
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pass — a permit
  11. land — ground
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. land — a country
  14. land — to come down
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bank — for money
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. tear — from crying
  19. dip — to sink
  20. current — happening now
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bank — for money
  23. game — wild animals
  24. suit — in cards

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