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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: trunk · mark · lash · content · ball · lean · wave · chip

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mark — a trace
  6. content — happy
  7. ball — a dance
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. chip — to eat
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. content — the amount
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lean — thin
  24. ball — a great time

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