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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. chip — for betting
  3. current — of water
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. current — electric
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. current — happening now
  24. pass — a permit

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