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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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. plane — a tool
  6. current — electric
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. pop — soda
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pound — a weight
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. pop — to visit
  20. firm — steady
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. rush — to hurry

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