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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. current — happening now
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fork — in a road
  11. current — electric
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bass — low music
  19. bat — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — to drop
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. current — of water

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