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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. band — a ring
  3. swing — to play on
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. lie — to recline
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. swing — in golf
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. swing — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. pass — a permit
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. current — electric
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. band — a music group
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pass — to succeed

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