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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: mate · bank · board · stick · can · bay · clip · current

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. current — electric
  5. clip — a video
  6. bank — for money
  7. board — to get on
  8. can — a tin
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. board — a committee
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mate — a partner
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. current — happening now
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. can — a tin
  18. bank — for money
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bank — of a river
  21. can — to be able to
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — to cut
  24. current — of water

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