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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: stick · ball · arm · season · fork · current · wave · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ball — a dance
  8. current — of water
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bank — of a river
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. current — happening now
  21. bank — for money
  22. season — of the year
  23. current — electric
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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