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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: current · mug · lash · scale · degree · trunk · vault · saw

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. saw — the tool
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. current — happening now
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. degree — temperature
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mug — a face
  13. scale — in music
  14. mug — a cup
  15. degree — an amount
  16. scale — size or range
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. current — of water
  19. degree — from a university
  20. vault — a safe
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. mug — to rob
  23. current — electric
  24. lash — an eyelash

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