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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: game · mate · arm · current · rest · bank · leaves · lash

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. rest — a break
  3. current — happening now
  4. mate — a friend
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mate — to breed
  7. rest — what's left
  8. current — electric
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. current — of water
  12. mate — a partner
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. game — a match
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rest — what's left
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. leaves — lets stay

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