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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bank — of a river
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — the arms race
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bank — for money
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. wound — an injury
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. staff — employees
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. staff — employees
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. current — electric
  24. race — humankind

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