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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. dip — to sink
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bat — the animal
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. drill — army training
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — a practice

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