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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fine — high quality
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pound — a weight
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. current — of water
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. perch — the fish
  13. sharp — clever
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. current — happening now
  20. charge — a price
  21. fine — all right
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. current — electric

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