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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 116 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: current · face · tube · spell · chair · bowl · bank · present

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bank — of a river
  3. current — electric
  4. bank — for money
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. current — of water
  7. chair — a leader
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. present — there
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. spell — a short time
  15. current — happening now
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. face — part of the head
  20. spell — magic
  21. face — to confront
  22. tube — a container
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. chair — a professorship

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