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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mate — a friend
  5. degree — temperature
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. current — electric
  8. degree — from a university
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bass — the fish
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. current — happening now
  15. mate — a partner
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bass — low music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. current — of water
  24. degree — an amount

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