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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. current — of water
  5. board — a committee
  6. scale — size or range
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. board — to get on
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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