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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: calf · ruler · trunk · mate · can · file · current · land

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mate — to breed
  5. file — a tool
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. current — happening now
  8. land — a country
  9. land — to come down
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. can — a tin
  12. file — a document
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. current — of water
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. current — electric
  19. mate — a partner
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. land — ground
  23. file — a line of people
  24. mate — a friend

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