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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: bank · current · present · shower · branch · key · bulb · vault

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. present — a gift
  3. current — of water
  4. key — the most important part
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. present — there
  7. bulb — for light
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. key — in music
  10. current — happening now
  11. bank — for money
  12. branch — a division
  13. bank — for money
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bank — of a river
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. vault — a safe
  21. current — electric
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. present — the time now
  24. key — for a lock

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