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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: bowl · chair · jam · current · staff · mine · rest · bank

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. current — of water
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bank — of a river
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. staff — employees
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bank — for money
  11. staff — employees
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. chair — a leader
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rest — a break
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. staff — a stick
  20. current — happening now
  21. bank — for money
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rest — what's left
  24. current — electric

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