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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · current · bank · lash · firm · degree · chip · saw

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bank — of a river
  3. firm — decided
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. current — electric
  6. current — of water
  7. chip — for betting
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. degree — from a university
  12. saw — the tool
  13. degree — temperature
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. current — happening now
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. degree — an amount
  21. saw — the tool
  22. firm — a company
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. chip — to eat

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