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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. drill — army training
  3. current — electric
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. object — a thing
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. tear — from crying
  11. object — an aim
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. current — happening now
  16. drill — a practice
  17. stock — shares
  18. drill — the tool
  19. object — to protest
  20. shower — to wash
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. foot — a measure
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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