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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: bat · file · current · cue · bass · calf · pitch · trunk

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. current — electric
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a signal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. current — of water
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. current — happening now
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bass — low music
  17. bat — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. file — a tool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cue — a hint
  24. file — a line of people

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