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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: tube · saw · current · trunk · kid · foot · rash · last

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. last — to go on
  4. foot — a measure
  5. kid — to tease
  6. last — finally
  7. current — of water
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. kid — child
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. saw — the tool
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. saw — the tool
  16. tube — the underground
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. tube — a container
  19. last — final
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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