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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bass — the fish
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. current — happening now
  6. face — part of the head
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. current — of water
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. land — a country
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. land — to come down
  15. bulb — for light
  16. land — ground
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — to point toward
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bulb — for light
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bass — low music

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