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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chest — a box
  4. current — happening now
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. land — a country
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cue — for pool
  10. chest — of your body
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cue — a hint
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rock — music
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. cue — a signal

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