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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. current — electric
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mate — a partner
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mate — a friend
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mate — to breed
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. current — happening now
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. current — of water
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ball — a dance
  21. wind — moving air
  22. perch — the fish
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. lash — to lash out

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