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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bound — certain
  3. bank — for money
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bank — for money
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bark — to shout
  10. current — of water
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bound — tied together
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stem — to come from
  21. current — happening now
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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