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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. lean — to bend
  5. current — electric
  6. wound — an injury
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. current — happening now
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. current — of water
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wound — an injury
  18. swing — music
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. swing — in golf
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. swing — to play on
  24. ruler — for measuring

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