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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. plane — a tool
  5. degree — an amount
  6. can — a tin
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. current — of water
  9. court — of law
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. degree — from a university
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. degree — temperature
  15. can — a tin
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. court — for sport
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. court — of a king
  22. bear — the animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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