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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: current · fork · kid · nail · pop · rush · jam · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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. jam — a tight spot
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pop — soda
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. kid — child
  9. current — of water
  10. kid — to tease
  11. fork — in a road
  12. pop — music
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pop — to visit
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. current — electric

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