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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. band — a music group
  3. current — electric
  4. staff — employees
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. current — of water
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. band — a ring
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. staff — employees
  16. cue — a hint
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. cue — a signal
  22. current — happening now
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pitcher — a jug

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