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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. current — electric
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ground — crushed
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. squash — the sport
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. current — happening now
  12. staff — employees
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. current — of water
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ground — a position
  24. squash — the vegetable

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