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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: bank · band · bore · current · spring · pit · deal · can

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bore — to drill
  4. can — a tin
  5. band — a ring
  6. spring — of water
  7. deal — to handle
  8. band — a music group
  9. can — a tin
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. current — of water
  12. bank — for money
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bank — of a river
  15. can — to be able to
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. spring — a coil
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. current — electric
  20. spring — the season
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pit — in a race
  23. current — happening now
  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