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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 116 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 · ball · pound · dip · object · current · mate · bear

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ball — a great time
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. object — to protest
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pound — a weight
  7. mate — a friend
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bank — for money
  11. current — happening now
  12. object — a thing
  13. bank — of a river
  14. object — an aim
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. current — of water
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. current — electric
  24. dip — a sauce

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