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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 120 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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. can — a tin
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. shower — rain
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — the animal
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. current — of water
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. current — happening now
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. shower — to wash
  24. current — electric

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