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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: bank · mug · tube · current · court · object · field · pit

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bank — for money
  4. tube — the underground
  5. mug — a cup
  6. current — of water
  7. court — of law
  8. tube — a container
  9. court — of a king
  10. bank — for money
  11. field — farmland
  12. object — an aim
  13. pit — in a race
  14. field — a subject
  15. mug — to rob
  16. current — electric
  17. pit — a hole
  18. field — for sport
  19. mug — a face
  20. court — for sport
  21. object — a thing
  22. current — happening now
  23. object — to protest
  24. tube — in a tire

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