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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. current — electric
  5. spring — the season
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. branch — a division
  10. spring — of water
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rest — what's left
  14. scale — in music
  15. can — a tin
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. current — happening now
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. club — a group
  22. rest — a break
  23. current — of water
  24. lash — an eyelash

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