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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · nail · trunk · stick · current · mouse

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. current — of water
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — happening now
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. current — electric

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