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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: cell · bank · season · bear · stock · leaves · current · wake

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bear — the animal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. stock — shares
  6. current — of water
  7. bank — for money
  8. season — of the year
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. season — in sport
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. current — electric
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cell — in biology
  18. bank — for money
  19. cell — a phone
  20. wake — a trail
  21. current — happening now
  22. stock — goods
  23. bank — of a river
  24. cell — in a prison

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