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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: track · suit · game · pass · prune · spring · current · bank

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. current — electric
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bank — of a river
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. bank — for money
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bank — for money
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. prune — to trim
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. spring — a coil
  18. current — of water
  19. prune — to trim
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — of water
  23. suit — clothes
  24. current — happening now

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