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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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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: ruler · trunk · fork · current · sharp · bowl · straw · clip

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. clip — a video
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. clip — to cut
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. clip — for paper
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. current — of water
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. current — happening now
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. sharp — with an edge

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