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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 120 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: current · lean · suit · sharp · scale · trunk · hide · race

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. scale — size or range
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lean — thin
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. lean — to bend
  9. suit — in cards
  10. race — a contest
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. current — of water
  14. suit — clothes
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. current — happening now
  18. scale — in music
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — humankind
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. race — the arms race
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. current — electric

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