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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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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. squash — the sport
  4. court — for sport
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. pass — a permit
  9. court — of a king
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. current — happening now
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. court — of law
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stem — to come from
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. squash — to crush

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