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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cue — a hint
  10. last — finally
  11. lean — to bend
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. last — to go on
  15. cue — a signal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. fall — to drop
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fall — the season
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. last — final
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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