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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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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: wave · current · bank · key · stick · trunk · calf · bore

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. current — of water
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bore — to drill
  7. current — electric
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. key — in music
  12. bore — to tire
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. key — for a lock
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bank — for money
  18. key — the most important part
  19. current — happening now
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bore — gave birth

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