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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: mark · current · ball · swing · game · mate · dip · bank

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. current — electric
  3. bank — of a river
  4. game — a match
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mark — a grade
  8. current — of water
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bank — for money
  11. mate — a friend
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. current — happening now
  14. game — wild animals
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mate — to breed
  17. swing — to play on
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bank — for money
  21. dip — to sink
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mark — a trace

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