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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 120 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: craft · trunk · wound · mark · current · root · firm · spring

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. spring — a coil
  3. firm — decided
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. current — happening now
  6. root — of a word
  7. spring — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. mark — a trace
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. craft — boats
  12. mark — a grade
  13. root — the cause
  14. firm — a company
  15. wound — an injury
  16. craft — a skill
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. wound — an injury
  19. current — of water
  20. firm — steady
  21. root — of a plant
  22. spring — the season
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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