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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wound — an injury
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. current — happening now
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mate — a partner
  11. fine — all right
  12. wound — an injury
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mate — to breed
  15. current — of water
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fine — high quality
  20. mate — a friend
  21. craft — boats
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. current — electric
  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