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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: racket · current · game · bank · ball · shower · pit · key

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. current — happening now
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. game — wild animals
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. game — a match
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. key — for a lock
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. pit — a hole
  15. key — the most important part
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bank — of a river
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. shower — rain
  21. bank — for money
  22. pit — in a race
  23. key — in music
  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