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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. current — electric
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lie — to recline
  6. current — of water
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. suit — clothes
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — the earth
  11. present — a gift
  12. cell — in biology
  13. suit — in cards
  14. current — happening now
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. present — there
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ground — crushed
  22. present — the time now
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cell — a phone

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