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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. roll — a cake
  4. charge — a price
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. snap — to click
  7. current — electric
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. drill — army training
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. current — happening now
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. charge — in control
  18. roll — a list
  19. current — of water
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. drill — a practice
  23. charge — electricity
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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