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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: rush · sharp · dip · snap · stock · drill · current · trunk

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. current — electric
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. snap — to click
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. stock — goods
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. drill — army training
  12. current — happening now
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stock — shares
  15. rush — hurry
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. current — of water
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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