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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: arm · roll · spring · current · object · bank · calf · content

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. current — happening now
  4. content — the amount
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. spring — of water
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. object — to protest
  9. bank — of a river
  10. spring — a coil
  11. roll — a cake
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. roll — a list
  14. object — an aim
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. current — electric
  18. spring — the season
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — happy
  21. object — a thing
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. arm — part of the body

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