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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · calf · lie · wind · bulb · court · branch · bank

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lie — to recline
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. court — for sport
  6. current — of water
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bank — of a river
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bank — for money
  16. court — of a king
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. current — happening now
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. branch — a division
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. court — of law
  24. current — electric

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