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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 116 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. degree — an amount
  5. track — a song
  6. staff — a stick
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. current — of water
  10. current — happening now
  11. stand — to bear
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. staff — employees
  14. suit — to fit
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — temperature
  18. suit — in cards
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. suit — clothes
  22. track — to keep track
  23. current — electric
  24. staff — employees

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