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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. suit — clothes
  4. key — the most important part
  5. tear — from crying
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. key — in music
  8. current — of water
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. key — for a lock
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. tear — to rip
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stock — goods
  16. game — wild animals
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. current — happening now
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stock — shares
  23. game — a match
  24. tear — from crying

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