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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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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: chip · trunk · race · stick · safe · drill · mine · lash

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. chip — to eat
  11. race — humankind
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. race — the arms race
  17. mine — for digging
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. race — a contest
  23. drill — a practice
  24. mine — belonging to me

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