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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: trunk · wound · stand · mark · land · pit · current · suit

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. suit — to fit
  3. land — ground
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pit — a hole
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. suit — clothes
  14. current — electric
  15. land — to come down
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mark — a grade
  20. current — happening now
  21. land — a country
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wound — an injury

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