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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. swing — in golf
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. current — of water
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. stem — to come from
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. season — in sport
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. season — of the year
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. swing — to play on
  23. current — happening now
  24. swing — music

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