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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 120 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: charge · bowl · arm · bank · swing · current · track · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. charge — electricity
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. track — a path
  5. bank — for money
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bank — of a river
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. swing — in golf
  11. charge — a price
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bank — for money
  15. swing — music
  16. bound — certain
  17. track — a song
  18. current — of water
  19. track — to keep track
  20. swing — to play on
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. charge — in control
  23. current — electric
  24. current — happening now

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