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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: pass · mug · race · trunk · lash · jam · perch · pitcher

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. race — the arms race
  6. perch — the fish
  7. race — humankind
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mug — a face
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. race — a contest
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. jam — in traffic

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