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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 116 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: cap · fan · trunk · ball · current · hide · mate · lean

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. cap — of ice
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. current — of water
  5. cap — a hat
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lean — thin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mate — a partner
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mate — to breed
  15. cap — a lid
  16. lean — to bend
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — electric
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. mate — a friend
  24. trunk — of a car

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