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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: stick · cabinet · suit · bank · mark · pit · temple · current

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. pit — a hole
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mark — a grade
  9. current — of water
  10. bank — of a river
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bank — for money
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bank — for money

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