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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. current — electric
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rest — a break
  6. current — of water
  7. ball — a great time
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. last — finally
  11. rest — what's left
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. current — happening now
  15. ball — a dance
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. firm — steady
  18. last — final
  19. firm — a company
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to click

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