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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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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: bound · current · cell · bowl · branch · bulb · bank · land

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. land — ground
  6. land — to come down
  7. current — of water
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. cell — a phone
  10. bank — of a river
  11. current — happening now
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bulb — for light
  14. current — electric
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. branch — a division
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. land — a country
  24. bank — for money

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