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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. current — electric
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. file — a tool
  5. clip — a video
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. current — happening now
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rock — music
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. file — a line of people
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. current — of water
  17. rock — a stone
  18. wake — a trail
  19. clip — for paper
  20. file — a document
  21. clip — to cut
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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