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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: swing · current · can · squash · chair · last · present · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. can — a tin
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. present — a gift
  6. current — happening now
  7. present — the time now
  8. current — of water
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. present — there
  11. can — a tin
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. last — finally
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. last — final
  16. swing — to play on
  17. squash — the sport
  18. swing — in golf
  19. squash — to crush
  20. can — to be able to
  21. swing — music
  22. last — to go on
  23. chair — a leader
  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