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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — a coil
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. current — of water
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. pit — a hole
  13. spring — the season
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. last — finally
  17. bear — the animal
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. cabinet — ministers

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