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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: bank · season · current · bulb · face · court · mug · swing

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. current — happening now
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mug — a face
  8. swing — in golf
  9. face — to point toward
  10. season — in sport
  11. swing — to play on
  12. face — part of the head
  13. season — of the year
  14. face — to confront
  15. court — for sport
  16. mug — to rob
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. current — electric
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bank — for money
  21. bulb — for light
  22. court — of law
  23. current — of water
  24. swing — music

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