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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: staff · wake · cue · current · tube · bass · sharp · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. current — happening now
  3. staff — employees
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. wake — a trail
  6. cue — a signal
  7. current — electric
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. tube — a container
  13. bass — low music
  14. tube — the underground
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cue — a hint
  18. current — of water
  19. cue — for pool
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. staff — employees
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. sharp — exactly

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