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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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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 · current · track · wave · pit · rule · present · stick

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  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 — a gift
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. current — happening now
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. present — there
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. track — a path
  16. pit — a hole
  17. current — electric
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. present — the time now
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. track — a song
  22. rule — a law
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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