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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.

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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: bore · current · saw · club · trunk · fork · rest · staff

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. current — electric
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rest — what's left
  6. staff — employees
  7. club — a group
  8. rest — a break
  9. staff — a stick
  10. saw — the tool
  11. current — of water
  12. fork — in a road
  13. club — for dancing
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. staff — employees
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bore — to tire
  19. current — happening now
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rest — what's left
  22. club — for golf
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. trunk — of a tree

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