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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. current — electric
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. current — happening now
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. current — of water
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pit — in a race
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. board — to get on
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. swing — to play on
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. swing — music
  24. ruler — for measuring

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