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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 · mark · current · staff · key · pop · date · craft

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. craft — boats
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. key — the most important part
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pop — music
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. craft — a skill
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. current — of water
  13. mark — a grade
  14. current — electric
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. pop — soda
  17. staff — employees
  18. current — happening now
  19. key — in music
  20. staff — employees
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. staff — a stick

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