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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: mate · pit · key · wake · current · pop · fan · trunk

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. key — in music
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mate — to breed
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — in a race
  10. current — of water
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pop — soda
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pop — music
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — happening now
  20. mate — a partner
  21. current — electric
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. key — for a lock

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