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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: current · bank · can · wax · deal · season · field · pound

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. season — of the year
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. can — a tin
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. can — a tin
  8. bank — for money
  9. wax — to grow
  10. season — in sport
  11. field — a subject
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bank — of a river
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — a weight
  18. current — of water
  19. field — farmland
  20. current — electric
  21. current — happening now
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. field — for sport

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