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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.

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 · cabinet · stem · current · bay · bass · field · kid

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. field — for sport
  6. kid — child
  7. field — a subject
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bass — low music
  11. current — of water
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. field — farmland
  16. current — happening now
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bass — the fish
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. kid — to tease

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