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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. foot — a measure
  5. chip — for betting
  6. current — of water
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. chip — to eat
  9. fall — to drop
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. track — a song
  12. fall — the season
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. snap — to click
  15. current — happening now
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. track — to keep track
  20. ball — a great time
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. track — a path
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fall — to drop

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