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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 · current · plane · rest · rush · board · bulb · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. current — happening now
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rush — hurry
  14. board — a committee
  15. current — electric
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. current — of water
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rest — what's left
  21. board — to get on
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. plane — in geometry

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