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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: track · board · cap · current · fall · mug · bank · last

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fall — to drop
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. bank — for money
  7. last — final
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. bank — for money
  11. current — of water
  12. track — a path
  13. bank — of a river
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. cap — of ice
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mug — a face
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cap — a hat
  22. fall — the season
  23. last — to go on
  24. board — to get on

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