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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: current · key · bark · wake · band · season · wave · swing

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. swing — in golf
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. wake — a trail
  7. season — of the year
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. swing — to play on
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a music group
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. season — in sport
  19. bark — to shout
  20. key — the most important part
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. swing — music
  24. bark — of a tree

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