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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: track · bank · clip · key · arm · bulb · wound · current

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. bank — of a river
  5. current — of water
  6. bank — for money
  7. track — a song
  8. bank — for money
  9. clip — for paper
  10. current — happening now
  11. bulb — for light
  12. track — a path
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. wound — an injury
  17. clip — to cut
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. key — in music
  21. track — to keep track
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. current — electric
  24. wound — an injury

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