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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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. sharp — clever
  3. current — electric
  4. bank — for money
  5. current — of water
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. current — happening now
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. cell — in biology
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bank — of a river
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. cell — a phone
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bank — for money
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. mark — a grade
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. sharp — exactly

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