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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: fork · swing · wax · content · bank · stock · drill · current

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bank — for money
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. stock — shares
  5. wax — to grow
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. swing — music
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. current — happening now
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. bank — for money
  15. current — of water
  16. swing — in golf
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — happy
  19. current — electric
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bank — of a river
  23. drill — the tool
  24. fork — a garden tool

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