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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mate — a partner
  13. current — of water
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mate — a friend
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — a cake

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