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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: trunk · current · board · track · cap · can · fall · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. current — electric
  3. fall — to drop
  4. current — happening now
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. can — to be able to
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. track — to keep track
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. can — a tin
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. current — of water
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. board — to get on
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. fall — the season
  22. can — a tin
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. cap — a hat

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