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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 116 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: race · current · face · bank · mouse · bay · pit · rule

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. current — of water
  5. pit — a hole
  6. race — a contest
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rule — a law
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. current — happening now
  12. face — to confront
  13. bank — for money
  14. pit — in a race
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. race — humankind
  22. current — electric
  23. rule — government
  24. race — the arms race

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