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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: last · wake · trunk · file · current · foot · mark · bulb

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bulb — for light
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bulb — for light
  6. last — to go on
  7. mark — a grade
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. file — a tool
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. last — finally
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wake — a trail
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. last — final
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. current — electric
  24. mark — to pay attention

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