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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: clip · current · bank · scale · suit · cell · club · bulb

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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. cell — in a prison
  4. suit — clothes
  5. clip — to cut
  6. club — for dancing
  7. suit — to fit
  8. club — a group
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bank — for money
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cell — in biology
  15. scale — in music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bank — of a river
  18. current — happening now
  19. cell — a phone
  20. club — for golf
  21. clip — for paper
  22. current — of water
  23. current — electric
  24. clip — a video

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