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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. branch — a division
  3. current — happening now
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fall — the season
  6. current — electric
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lean — thin
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. saw — the tool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. current — of water
  19. fall — to drop
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fall — to drop
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. calf — a young animal

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