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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 · pop · trunk · sharp · rule · lash · lean · ball

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rule — a law
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pop — soda
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. current — of water
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. current — happening now
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. ball — a dance
  18. sharp — clever
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. ball — a great time
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. lash — to lash out

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