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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: trunk · current · bay · fall · bear · racket · row · mate

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. row — a line
  3. bear — the animal
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. current — electric
  16. fall — the season
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bear — the animal
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mate — to breed
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. current — happening now
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. mate — a friend

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