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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: sharp · face · pit · current · mug · race · bank · last

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mug — a face
  3. pit — in a race
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. race — a contest
  7. bank — for money
  8. current — of water
  9. mug — to rob
  10. race — humankind
  11. last — to go on
  12. face — to point toward
  13. current — electric
  14. face — part of the head
  15. last — finally
  16. face — to confront
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. last — final
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bank — for money
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mug — a cup
  24. current — happening now

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