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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fork — in a road
  3. shower — rain
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. current — electric
  6. plane — a tool
  7. current — happening now
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. shower — to wash
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. current — of water
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. plane — an aircraft

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