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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: net · firm · wound · current · safe · pop · track · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. firm — a company
  3. pop — music
  4. bank — for money
  5. net — after costs
  6. track — to keep track
  7. wound — an injury
  8. firm — decided
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pop — to visit
  12. net — for catching
  13. pop — soda
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. current — electric
  16. current — of water
  17. firm — steady
  18. track — a song
  19. bank — of a river
  20. track — a path
  21. wound — an injury
  22. current — happening now
  23. net — in sport
  24. safe — out of danger

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