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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: land · fork · bank · tube · branch · current · date · bay

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bank — for money
  6. current — of water
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bank — of a river
  10. current — happening now
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — ground
  15. branch — a division
  16. current — electric
  17. tube — the underground
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. tube — a container

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