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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 · trunk · rash · bore · degree · safe · content · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. content — the amount
  5. rash — hasty
  6. firm — a company
  7. degree — from a university
  8. content — happy
  9. degree — temperature
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rash — a series
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. firm — decided
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. firm — steady
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bore — to tire
  24. degree — an amount

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