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

Word bank: current · key · bank · rest · trunk · pit · bowl · deal

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pit — a hole
  5. current — electric
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rest — what's left
  13. key — the most important part
  14. current — of water
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rest — a break
  17. current — happening now
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bank — for money
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. key — in music

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