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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: can · tube · pound · trunk · current · rest · mouse · jam

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. current — of water
  4. pound — a weight
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. tube — the underground
  7. current — electric
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. current — happening now
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rest — what's left
  14. tube — a container
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. can — a tin
  18. rest — a break
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. jam — in traffic

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