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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 116 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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. squash — the sport
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. staff — employees
  14. bulb — for light
  15. staff — a stick
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. squash — to crush
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fall — to drop
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rush — a thrill

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