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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
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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 · pitch · mine · spell · bank · shower · date · fan

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. spell — letters
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. current — electric
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bank — for money
  14. spell — magic
  15. mine — for digging
  16. date — the fruit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. shower — rain
  23. pitch — completely
  24. shower — to wash

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