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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. chip — to eat
  4. current — of water
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cue — for pool
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. current — happening now
  10. chip — for betting
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. cue — a signal
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. current — electric
  16. cue — a hint
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fall — to drop

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