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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rest — what's left
  11. prune — to trim
  12. current — of water
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. current — electric
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. current — happening now
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. rest — a break
  24. vault — a safe

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