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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.

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: arm · track · chair · dip · fork · suit · current · trunk

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. track — a path
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. dip — to sink
  7. track — a song
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. current — electric
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. current — of water
  15. current — happening now
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. suit — to fit
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. suit — clothes
  23. chair — a leader
  24. fork — in a road

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