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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: patient · wave · current · bank · fork · spell · cue · sharp

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cue — for pool
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. current — electric
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. sharp — clever
  11. spell — magic
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. current — of water
  15. cue — a signal
  16. spell — letters
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cue — a hint
  19. spell — a short time
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. current — happening now
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. patient — a sick person

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