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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 116 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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. spell — magic
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. spell — letters
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitch — completely

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