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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. club — for golf
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. current — electric
  19. bat — the animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mine — belonging to me

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