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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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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ground — the earth
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. cue — a signal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bank — of a river
  10. board — to get on
  11. bank — for money
  12. ground — a position
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ground — crushed
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. board — a committee
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bank — for money

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