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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 116 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: hide · stem · leaves · fan · bass · bank · current · swing

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. current — electric
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bass — the fish
  7. swing — music
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bank — of a river
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bank — for money
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. current — of water
  20. bank — for money
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. current — happening now

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