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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bore — to drill
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. file — a line of people
  10. current — electric
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. current — happening now
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cap — a hat
  17. file — a document
  18. current — of water
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pound — a weight
  23. file — a tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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