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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 120 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: sharp · fan · fork · trunk · lash · stand · rush · tube

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stand — to bear
  5. sharp — clever
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. tube — the underground
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. tube — a container
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rush — hurry

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