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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rest — what's left
  3. current — happening now
  4. rest — a break
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rush — hurry
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. current — of water
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rest — what's left
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — for betting
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. current — electric
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rock — music
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rock — a stone

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