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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.

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: current · pound · ruler · pitch · fan · roll · mouse · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. current — of water
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. current — electric
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pitch — completely
  10. roll — a list
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pound — a weight
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. current — happening now
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. roll — a cake

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