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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 116 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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bulb — for light
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. row — to paddle
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. row — a line
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. perch — the fish
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. current — electric
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — in sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. season — of the year
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. tear — from crying
  24. current — happening now

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