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

Word bank: lash · bore · trunk · dip · stick · fall · coach · ruler

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fall — to drop

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