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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 · hand · pit · staff · bulb · current · mug · stand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. pit — a hole
  3. hand — help
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. pit — in a race
  12. hand — in cards
  13. mug — to rob
  14. current — of water
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mug — a cup
  19. current — electric
  20. mug — a face
  21. bulb — for light
  22. staff — a stick
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. current — happening now

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