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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: firm · saw · lash · wake · rule · trunk · pitch · hand

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. firm — decided
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rule — a law
  6. hand — in cards
  7. rule — government
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. hand — help
  14. pitch — completely
  15. saw — the tool
  16. firm — steady
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. firm — a company
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. saw — the tool
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. wake — a trail
  24. pitch — a sports field

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