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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · object · present · craft · pit · prune · trunk · shower

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. object — a thing
  5. present — there
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. shower — rain
  9. craft — boats
  10. object — to protest
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. prune — to trim
  15. current — electric
  16. present — a gift
  17. prune — to trim
  18. current — happening now
  19. object — an aim
  20. craft — a skill
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. shower — to wash
  23. pit — a hole
  24. current — of water

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