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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. row — a line
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. current — happening now
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fork — in a road
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. current — of water
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bound — certain
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. current — electric
  22. snap — to click
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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