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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: current · wound · craft · bank · trunk · degree · safe · kick

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. craft — a skill
  3. current — of water
  4. bank — for money
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. current — electric
  7. degree — temperature
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bank — for money
  11. kick — in football
  12. craft — boats
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. degree — an amount
  15. wound — an injury
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bank — of a river
  23. current — happening now
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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