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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pit — a hole
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. dip — to sink
  8. current — of water
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. current — electric
  13. capital — a city
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. current — happening now
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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