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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. board — to get on
  6. roll — a cake
  7. band — a ring
  8. bound — certain
  9. drill — army training
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. drill — a practice
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bank — for money
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. board — a committee
  16. band — a music group
  17. roll — a list
  18. bound — obliged
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bank — of a river
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bound — tied together
  24. current — electric

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