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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: roll · sharp · date · ball · bank · season · track · current

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. current — happening now
  4. roll — a list
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bank — for money
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. track — a path
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. current — electric
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. roll — a cake
  17. track — to keep track
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. sharp — clever
  20. date — the fruit
  21. ball — a dance
  22. season — in sport
  23. track — a song
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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