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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. club — a group
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lean — thin
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. lean — to bend
  11. cell — a phone
  12. club — for golf
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cell — in biology
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. club — for dancing
  18. board — to get on
  19. current — of water
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. current — electric
  22. board — a committee
  23. current — happening now
  24. rush — a thrill

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