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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. 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 — happening now
  2. staff — employees
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. staff — a stick
  7. branch — a division
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. staff — employees
  10. toast — bread
  11. current — of water
  12. ball — a great time
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. current — electric
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. ball — a dance
  18. 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