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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: bank · bass · racket · current · mate · tube · toast · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bank — for money
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. current — of water
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bass — low music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bass — the fish
  11. tube — the underground
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mate — to breed
  14. bank — of a river
  15. can — a tin
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. current — electric
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — a container
  23. current — happening now
  24. can — to be able to

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