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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
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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: bank · current · hand · jam · rush · sharp · bear · mouse

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. hand — in cards
  3. current — happening now
  4. bear — the animal
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bank — of a river
  7. hand — help
  8. bank — for money
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. current — electric
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bear — the animal
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bank — for money
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. jam — in traffic

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