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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. current — electric
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. current — of water
  8. chest — a box
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. current — happening now
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. chest — of your body
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. branch — a division
  22. chest — of your body
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. dip — a sauce

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