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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: bank · trunk · chip · rock · current · file · net · wound

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. net — for catching
  5. wound — an injury
  6. chip — to eat
  7. net — in sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. net — after costs
  11. file — a line of people
  12. wound — an injury
  13. current — of water
  14. bank — for money
  15. rock — a stone
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — electric
  19. file — a document
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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