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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  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. safe — out of danger
  3. current — electric
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. land — a country
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stand — to bear
  8. capital — money
  9. land — ground
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. current — happening now
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. capital — a city
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. current — of water
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. land — to come down
  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