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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: lean · trunk · sharp · current · dip · cell · object · suit

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. cell — a phone
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. lean — thin
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. object — a thing
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. sharp — clever
  15. suit — in cards
  16. object — to protest
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. current — happening now
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cell — in biology

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