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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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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: fork · suit · trunk · perch · wind · stick · track · current

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. current — electric
  4. fork — in a road
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. current — happening now
  14. track — a path
  15. current — of water
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. suit — in cards
  18. track — to keep track
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. track — a song
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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