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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. race — the arms race
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. can — a tin
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. lie — to recline
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bark — to shout
  14. current — happening now
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. can — a tin
  18. plane — a tool
  19. race — humankind
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. race — a contest
  24. lie — an untruth

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