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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.

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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: bay · last · trunk · plane · calf · dip · lash · chip

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. last — finally
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. dip — to sink
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. chip — for betting
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. last — final
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. last — to go on
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. dip — a sauce

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