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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wound — an injury
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. cell — a phone
  6. fine — all right
  7. bank — of a river
  8. current — of water
  9. cell — in biology
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. toast — bread
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. current — electric
  16. fine — high quality
  17. club — a group
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bank — for money
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. current — happening now
  23. club — for golf
  24. fork — in a road

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