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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: row · club · wax · can · plane · trunk · current · jam

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. current — of water
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. can — a tin
  5. club — for golf
  6. current — happening now
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. plane — a tool
  9. current — electric
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. can — a tin
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. wax — to grow
  15. row — a line
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. club — a group
  18. can — to be able to
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. club — for dancing
  21. row — to paddle
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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