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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. bank — for money
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. current — electric
  7. bank — for money
  8. spring — the season
  9. current — happening now
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bark — to shout
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. spring — of water
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. charge — a price
  22. current — of water
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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