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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. current — of water
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. prune — to trim
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chair — a leader
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. current — electric
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a ring
  19. current — happening now
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. band — a music group
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ruler — for measuring

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