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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · shower · arm · trunk · current · root · key · ball

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. root — of a plant
  4. root — the cause
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. root — of a word
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bank — for money
  11. current — happening now
  12. shower — to wash
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — in music
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. ball — a dance
  18. current — electric
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. shower — rain

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