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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. current — of water
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. can — a tin
  5. bore — to tire
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bore — to drill
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. can — a tin
  11. degree — an amount
  12. degree — from a university
  13. current — electric
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. fork — in a road
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. can — to be able to
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. current — happening now
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. branch — a division

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