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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rash — a series
  5. staff — employees
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. staff — employees
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. current — of water
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. current — electric
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. spell — magic
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. staff — a stick
  20. current — happening now
  21. spell — a short time
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spell — letters
  24. rash — hasty

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