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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 120 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: bound · prune · current · sharp · lie · bulb · track · bank

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bound — certain
  3. bank — for money
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bound — obliged
  6. current — electric
  7. bank — for money
  8. bulb — for light
  9. track — a song
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. sharp — clever
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lie — to recline
  16. prune — to trim
  17. track — a path
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bank — of a river
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. current — happening now
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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