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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mine — for digging
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. game — wild animals
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. firm — a company
  10. game — a match
  11. object — to protest
  12. firm — decided
  13. suit — clothes
  14. object — a thing
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. current — of water
  20. suit — in cards
  21. firm — steady
  22. current — happening now
  23. object — an aim
  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