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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — army training
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. can — a tin
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. prune — to trim
  8. current — happening now
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ground — the earth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ground — crushed
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. current — electric
  17. deal — to handle
  18. ground — a position
  19. saw — the tool
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. drill — the tool
  22. prune — to trim
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. current — of water

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