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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: mug · hand · leaves · rash · current · game · bank · bear

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bank — for money
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. hand — help
  9. rash — a series
  10. game — a match
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. current — happening now
  13. bank — of a river
  14. current — of water
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rash — hasty
  18. current — electric
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bank — for money
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mug — a face

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