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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pound — a weight
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. staff — employees
  7. date — the fruit
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rock — a stone
  11. drill — the tool
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. drill — army training
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. drill — a practice
  16. toast — bread
  17. staff — employees
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. staff — a stick
  20. rock — music
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. current — of water
  24. pound — for dogs

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