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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 · pound · chip · current · bay · pitcher · bark · bass

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bass — low music
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pound — a weight
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. current — happening now
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. current — of water
  24. current — electric

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