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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 · rest · cabinet · calf · can · bulb · march · current

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  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. can — to be able to
  2. rest — what's left
  3. march — the month
  4. current — of water
  5. bulb — for light
  6. current — electric
  7. can — a tin
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. march — music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. march — the month
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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