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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bulb — for light
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. track — a path
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. dip — to sink
  12. staff — a stick
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lean — thin
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. trunk — of a tree

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