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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: trunk · mine · toast · pop · charge · bank · bark · current

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pop — soda
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. pop — music
  6. bank — for money
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. charge — electricity
  11. mine — for digging
  12. current — of water
  13. charge — a price
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pop — to visit
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bark — to shout
  20. current — electric
  21. bank — of a river
  22. toast — bread
  23. charge — in control
  24. bank — for money

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