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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. current — happening now
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rash — a series
  5. can — a tin
  6. rush — hurry
  7. can — a tin
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. current — electric
  15. can — to be able to
  16. current — of water
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rash — hasty
  21. net — for catching
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lash — an eyelash

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