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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: fork · chip · current · bank · press · object

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. object — to protest
  3. chip — to eat
  4. object — an aim
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bank — of a river
  7. object — a thing
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. press — a publisher
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. press — to push
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fork — in a road
  17. press — newspapers
  18. bank — for money

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