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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: wax · race · trunk · current · staff · mouse · calf · pit

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. staff — employees
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. current — electric
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. race — the arms race
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. current — happening now
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. staff — employees
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wax — to grow
  20. staff — a stick
  21. current — of water
  22. race — a contest
  23. pit — in a race
  24. race — humankind

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