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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. current — of water
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. key — in music
  12. fall — the season
  13. pit — a hole
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. current — happening now
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. current — electric

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