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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: foot · current · trunk · dip · rock · fan · roll · racket

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. current — of water
  7. current — happening now
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. current — electric
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rock — music
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rock — a stone
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — a measure
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. racket — for tennis

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