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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. hand — in cards
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. hand — help
  6. scale — in music
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bank — of a river
  11. net — in sport
  12. current — electric
  13. bank — for money
  14. net — for catching
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bank — for money
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. spring — of water
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. net — after costs
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wave — with your hand

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