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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — shares
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cue — a signal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stock — goods
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rule — to rule out

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