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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: bark · pass · spell · current · mouse · bank · deal · fork

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. bark — of a tree
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. spell — a short time
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. current — of water
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. pass — to spend time
  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