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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: shower · jam · trunk · stand · current · spell · bear · mug

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. mug — a face
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. current — of water
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. mug — a cup
  9. stand — to bear
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mug — to rob
  18. shower — to wash
  19. current — electric
  20. bear — the animal
  21. spell — a short time
  22. shower — rain
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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