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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. current — of water
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. land — to come down
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. root — of a word
  11. craft — a skill
  12. land — ground
  13. current — electric
  14. rush — hurry
  15. scale — in music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. current — happening now
  18. land — a country
  19. root — of a plant
  20. scale — size or range
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. root — the cause

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