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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: trunk · snap · current · lash · chair · cue · deal · nail

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cue — a hint
  9. deal — to handle
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. cue — for pool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. current — happening now
  24. chair — a leader

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