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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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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: firm · mark · hand · pit · current · nail · present · trunk

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. pit — a hole
  4. present — there
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. mark — a grade
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. current — happening now
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. hand — in cards
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pit — in a race
  16. firm — steady
  17. present — the time now
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. present — a gift
  20. hand — help
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — a trace
  24. nail — for a hammer

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