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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: sharp · fall · bear · bank · mouse · staff · cabinet · current

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bank — for money
  3. current — electric
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bank — for money
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fall — the season
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. staff — a stick
  14. current — of water
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bank — of a river
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. staff — employees
  20. current — happening now
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fall — to drop

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