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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: nail · field · plane · branch · charge · current · sharp · trunk

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. plane — a tool
  5. field — for sport
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. current — electric
  9. current — of water
  10. field — farmland
  11. branch — a division
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. current — happening now
  17. charge — a price
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. field — a subject
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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