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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.

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: current · wave · chest · bank · tube · spell · arm · craft

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. current — electric
  10. chest — a box
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. tube — a container
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bank — for money
  17. current — happening now
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. craft — boats
  21. current — of water
  22. spell — letters
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. tube — the underground

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