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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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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 · pop · current · fall · trunk · safe · mouse · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bank — for money
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. branch — a division
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bank — for money
  19. fall — the season
  20. pop — soda
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

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