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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: present · calf · bulb · pit · craft · fan · trunk · current

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. craft — a skill
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pit — in a race
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. present — there
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. present — a gift
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. current — of water
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — boats
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. present — the time now

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