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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: prune · trunk · mate · fan · current · drill · root · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. root — of a word
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mate — a friend
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. current — happening now
  10. drill — army training
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. current — electric
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mate — a partner
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. current — of water
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mate — to breed
  24. drill — a practice

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