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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: last · fine · current · rush · bank · wake · rash · board

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. current — of water
  6. rash — hasty
  7. last — final
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. current — happening now
  19. rash — a series
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. bank — for money
  23. last — finally
  24. current — electric

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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