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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: fork · racket · bank · key · current · mate · bulb · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. current — of water
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mate — a partner
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — in a road
  10. current — electric
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. current — happening now
  14. bank — for money
  15. mate — to breed
  16. shower — to wash
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bank — for money

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