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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bass — low music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bass — the fish
  8. firm — decided
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mark — a trace
  12. current — electric
  13. tube — the underground
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. board — to get on
  16. season — of the year
  17. firm — steady
  18. current — of water
  19. tube — a container
  20. current — happening now
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. season — in sport
  23. board — a committee
  24. firm — a company

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