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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 124 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. race — humankind
  3. suit — to fit
  4. current — happening now
  5. suit — in cards
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. root — the cause
  9. current — of water
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to click
  12. current — electric
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. root — of a word
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. root — of a plant
  18. race — the arms race
  19. suit — clothes
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. race — a contest
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lash — to lash out

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