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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 120 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: chip · rock · content · current · bank · swing · pop · bay

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pop — soda
  3. current — of water
  4. content — the amount
  5. rock — music
  6. bank — for money
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pop — to visit
  10. swing — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. pop — music
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. current — happening now
  17. chip — to eat
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. current — electric
  21. rock — a stone
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. content — happy
  24. bank — for money

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