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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mark — a grade
  4. prune — to trim
  5. current — happening now
  6. last — final
  7. board — to get on
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. board — a committee
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mark — a trace
  15. current — electric
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — to wash
  21. current — of water
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. lash — a whip stroke

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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