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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 · nail · squash · game · foot · bank · shower · craft

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. squash — the sport
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. game — wild animals
  8. squash — to crush
  9. craft — a skill
  10. shower — to wash
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. current — of water
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. bank — of a river
  17. craft — boats
  18. game — a match
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bank — for money
  22. foot — a measure
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bank — for money

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