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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
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: perch · cold · bulb · bank · deal · current · charge · mug

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. bank — for money
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mug — to rob
  6. deal — to handle
  7. charge — a price
  8. cold — an illness
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cold — not warm
  12. bank — for money
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mug — a cup
  15. charge — in control
  16. current — electric
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. current — happening now
  21. mug — a face
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — electricity
  24. perch — for a bird

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