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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 116 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. current — of water
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. key — for a lock
  9. tear — from crying
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. tear — to rip
  12. season — of the year
  13. sharp — clever
  14. tear — from crying
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. current — electric
  17. key — the most important part
  18. current — happening now
  19. rock — music
  20. key — in music
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. season — in sport
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rock — a stone

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