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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
468
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: key · hand · wave · chip · dip · trunk · bear · current

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bear — the animal
  5. current — electric
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. chip — for betting
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. current — of water
  18. chip — to eat
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. current — happening now
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — in cards
  23. key — in music
  24. wave — of the sea

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