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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: net · bank · stock · bear · tube · key · pass · current

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stock — goods
  3. pass — a permit
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. key — in music
  9. bank — of a river
  10. key — the most important part
  11. tube — a container
  12. net — after costs
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. current — of water
  17. stock — shares
  18. current — happening now
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bank — for money
  23. current — electric
  24. bear — the animal

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