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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: fan · current · bay · hand · trunk · lie · pass · tube

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. hand — in cards
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. tube — a container
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. hand — help
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pass — a permit
  18. current — electric
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. current — of water
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. current — happening now
  24. fan — a supporter

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