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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. current — happening now
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. current — electric
  8. staff — employees
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. staff — a stick
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. pound — a weight
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bore — to drill
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to click
  19. shower — to wash
  20. staff — employees
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bore — to tire
  24. current — of water

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