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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 120 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 ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. row — to paddle
  4. current — of water
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. current — electric
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. row — a line
  9. current — happening now
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. can — to be able to
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — the tool

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