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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · net · fork · current · march · bank · ground · nail

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rest — a break
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ground — the earth
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bank — for money
  8. ground — a position
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bank — for money
  11. rest — what's left
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. march — the month
  15. bank — of a river
  16. ground — crushed
  17. net — after costs
  18. march — music
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — in sport
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. fork — in a road
  24. march — the month

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