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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: bank · pass · current · mine · wound · mug · craft · hide

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. wound — an injury
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. current — of water
  7. wound — an injury
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mug — a cup
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mug — a face
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bank — for money
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mug — to rob
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bank — for money
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. hide — to keep secret

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