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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lash · pitcher · current · stand · swing · fork · wax · trunk

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. current — happening now
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. swing — music
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. swing — in golf
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fork — in a road
  20. current — electric
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. swing — to play on

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