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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wake — a trail
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. game — a match
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. stand — to bear
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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