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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. current — of water
  3. object — to protest
  4. current — electric
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. current — happening now
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. object — an aim
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rule — a law
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rule — government
  19. object — a thing
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lash — to lash out

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