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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: current · suit · cell · bank · bark · arm

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cell — in biology
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bank — for money
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bank — of a river
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bark — of a tree

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