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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: plane · current · trunk · sharp · bank · race · bass · dip

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. current — electric
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. sharp — clever
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bass — the fish
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. dip — to sink
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. current — of water
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. current — happening now
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. race — a contest

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