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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: court · current · fan · charge · perch · bay · rock · bank

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bank — for money
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. court — of a king
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — electricity
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. court — of law
  14. rock — music
  15. current — electric
  16. court — for sport
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. current — happening now
  19. charge — a price
  20. bank — for money
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rock — a stone

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