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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 120 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cue — for pool
  4. current — electric
  5. land — to come down
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. current — of water
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. land — a country
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. file — a tool
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. file — a line of people
  18. file — a document
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. land — ground
  23. cue — a signal
  24. current — happening now

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