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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bass — the fish
  3. shower — rain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. shower — to wash
  6. current — electric
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. current — happening now
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. staff — employees
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bound — certain
  15. bass — low music
  16. pass — a permit
  17. staff — employees
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. staff — a stick
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bound — obliged
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pass — to spend time

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