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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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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 · current · prune · swing · capital · stick · key · date

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. current — of water
  5. key — the most important part
  6. prune — to trim
  7. capital — money
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bank — for money
  10. current — electric
  11. key — for a lock
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. capital — a city
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. key — in music
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. prune — to trim
  18. date — the fruit
  19. current — happening now
  20. bank — for money
  21. swing — to play on
  22. swing — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. date — on the calendar

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