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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: calf · trunk · current · bulb · root · arm · staff · capital

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. staff — a stick
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. current — electric
  8. bulb — for light
  9. capital — a city
  10. bulb — for light
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. staff — employees
  15. root — of a word
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. capital — money
  18. current — happening now
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. root — of a plant
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. root — the cause
  24. current — of water

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