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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. tear — from crying
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. current — happening now
  10. cap — of ice
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to click
  14. cap — a hat
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — to rip
  17. cap — a lid
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. dip — to sink
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. dip — to dunk

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