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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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Word bank
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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: lie · bank · squash · season · current · foot

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bank — for money
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. squash — the sport
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. season — of the year
  10. lie — to recline
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bank — for money
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. season — in sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bank — of a river
  18. foot — a measure

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