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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wake — a trail
  3. current — of water
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. craft — boats
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. root — of a word
  14. current — electric
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stock — goods
  17. present — there
  18. root — the cause
  19. present — a gift
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. root — of a plant
  22. current — happening now
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. present — the time now

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