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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 120 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mug — a cup
  4. last — finally
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. ground — a position
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mug — to rob
  9. last — to go on
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. last — final
  13. current — electric
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. current — happening now
  19. ground — crushed
  20. current — of water
  21. mug — a face
  22. ground — the earth
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — an eyelash

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