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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. board — a committee
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. spring — the season
  7. current — of water
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. current — electric
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. suit — to fit
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mine — for digging
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. suit — in cards
  20. current — happening now
  21. board — to get on
  22. suit — clothes
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. straw — a straw man

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