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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: mine · branch · firm · current · foot · pass · trunk · racket

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. current — electric
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. current — of water
  7. foot — a measure
  8. mine — for digging
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. branch — a division
  15. pass — a permit
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. current — happening now
  22. firm — decided
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. foot — part of the body

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