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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: present · trunk · clip · tube · current · rash · foot · fan

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. foot — a measure
  3. tube — a container
  4. present — there
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. clip — to cut
  9. rash — a series
  10. clip — for paper
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. current — happening now
  13. present — a gift
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. rash — hasty
  16. clip — a video
  17. present — the time now
  18. current — of water
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. tube — the underground
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. current — electric

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