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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mug — to rob
  3. current — electric
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. current — happening now
  7. rash — a series
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mug — a face
  22. rush — hurry
  23. march — music
  24. rash — on the skin

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