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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: foot · chip · current · bore · swing · field · bank · jam

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. field — farmland
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. current — happening now
  7. bore — to tire
  8. current — of water
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. current — electric
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. chip — for betting
  15. swing — in golf
  16. foot — a measure
  17. swing — music
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — for sport
  20. bank — of a river
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bore — to drill

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