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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: trunk · current · roll · bear · stem · plane · wake · bore

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. current — electric
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. current — of water
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. roll — a list
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. wake — a trail
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bear — the animal
  24. current — happening now

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