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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: current · saw · drill · date · court · fine · trunk · mug

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. court — of law
  7. drill — army training
  8. court — for sport
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. current — electric
  11. fine — all right
  12. current — happening now
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. date — the fruit
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mug — to rob
  20. current — of water
  21. drill — the tool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. court — of a king

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