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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bank — of a river
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bank — for money
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. field — for sport
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. chip — to eat
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. current — of water
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. current — happening now
  15. field — farmland
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. field — a subject
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bank — for money
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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