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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mug — a cup
  8. game — a match
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bound — certain
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mug — to rob
  13. current — electric
  14. mug — a face
  15. current — of water
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mark — a trace
  19. band — a music group
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. mark — a grade
  23. game — wild animals
  24. band — a ring

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