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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: current · foot · wake · bank · nail · ground · lash · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. current — of water
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bank — for money
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ground — the earth
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. present — the time now
  12. bank — of a river
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. ground — a position
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. current — happening now
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. current — electric
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bank — for money
  24. present — a gift

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