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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: firm · pit · band · current · bank · season · perch · wake

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. band — a music group
  3. firm — decided
  4. current — of water
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. band — a ring
  7. current — electric
  8. pit — a hole
  9. firm — steady
  10. season — of the year
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bank — for money
  13. pit — in a race
  14. season — in sport
  15. wake — a trail
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bank — for money
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — happening now
  22. firm — a company
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bank — of a river

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