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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: tube · stand · prune · lash · dip · calf · current · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. stand — to bear
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. current — of water
  5. dip — to sink
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. current — electric
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. wake — a trail
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. prune — to trim

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