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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: cap · current · calf · craft · squash · bank · fork · lean

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. current — electric
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. current — of water
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. squash — the sport
  8. lean — to bend
  9. current — happening now
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. lean — thin
  14. craft — a skill
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cap — of ice
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. squash — to crush
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. cap — a hat

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