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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — a series
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. content — happy
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. swing — in golf
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. current — electric
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. content — the amount
  16. current — of water
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. swing — music
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. current — happening now
  23. swing — to play on
  24. face — to confront

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