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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 116 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. march — the month
  3. charge — in control
  4. current — happening now
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. firm — decided
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. firm — a company
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. current — of water
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. march — the month
  14. squash — the sport
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pound — a weight
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. firm — steady
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. current — electric
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. charge — a price
  23. march — music
  24. squash — to crush

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