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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bass — the fish
  3. current — happening now
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. firm — a company
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bass — low music
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. firm — decided
  11. current — electric
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. firm — steady
  18. bat — the animal
  19. current — of water
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bat — for baseball

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