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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: season · fan · fork · current · lash · bank · capital · craft

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bank — of a river
  3. craft — a skill
  4. capital — money
  5. bank — for money
  6. current — electric
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. capital — a city
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. current — happening now
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bank — for money
  20. current — of water
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. craft — boats
  23. season — in sport
  24. fan — to cool the air

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