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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. shower — to wash
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bound — tied together
  7. cue — a signal
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. current — happening now
  12. lean — thin
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. current — of water
  15. bound — obliged
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. shower — rain
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — government
  21. bound — certain
  22. lean — to bend
  23. date — the fruit
  24. rule — to rule out

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