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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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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: kid · bank · rule · bay · tube · arm · current · pit

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bank — for money
  3. current — electric
  4. rule — a law
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bank — of a river
  8. current — of water
  9. kid — child
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. kid — to tease
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. tube — a container
  16. pit — in a race
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bank — for money
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rule — government
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pit — a hole
  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