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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: pit · club · bat · bank · wound · current · charge · bark

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wound — an injury
  3. current — happening now
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. club — for dancing
  7. wound — an injury
  8. club — a group
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. charge — a price
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. charge — in control
  15. bank — for money
  16. bark — to shout
  17. club — for golf
  18. current — of water
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. charge — electricity
  22. current — electric
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bank — of a river

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