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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: bay · dip · mark · cue · lash · trunk · pit · fork

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. cue — for pool
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fork — in a road
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. cue — a hint
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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