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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. suit — in cards
  5. row — a line
  6. suit — clothes
  7. dip — to sink
  8. row — to paddle
  9. present — the time now
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. present — there
  12. suit — to fit
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. present — a gift
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. lash — an eyelash

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