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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. current — happening now
  3. degree — from a university
  4. bass — the fish
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. dip — to sink
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. cell — a phone
  11. rock — a stone
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. current — of water
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. fine — all right
  19. bass — low music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fine — high quality
  22. current — electric
  23. degree — an amount
  24. rock — music

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