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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 116 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. current — happening now
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. net — in sport
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. net — after costs
  12. saw — the tool
  13. net — for catching
  14. last — finally
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. current — electric
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. last — final
  20. last — to go on
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. current — of water
  24. mug — a face

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