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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: squash · leaves · land · trunk · current · snap · staff · suit

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. staff — employees
  3. suit — in cards
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. current — of water
  7. suit — clothes
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. land — a country
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. squash — the sport
  15. suit — to fit
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — ground
  19. current — happening now
  20. snap — to click
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. current — electric
  24. squash — to crush

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