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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 · bore · suit · arm · wake · current · wave · shower

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. suit — clothes
  4. current — electric
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. suit — to fit
  8. current — of water
  9. current — happening now
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. shower — to wash
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. shower — rain
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bore — to tire
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bore — gave birth

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