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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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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: pop · current · bank · coach · season · craft · bowl · deal

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. season — in sport
  5. craft — a skill
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. pop — music
  8. season — of the year
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bank — for money
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pop — soda
  13. bank — of a river
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. current — of water
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pop — to visit
  19. craft — boats
  20. current — happening now
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bank — for money
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. current — electric

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