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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · plane · wound · current · saw · race · safe · calf

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. race — a contest
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. current — happening now
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. race — the arms race
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. current — electric
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. saw — the tool
  18. race — humankind
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. wound — an injury
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. saw — the tool
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. plane — a tool

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