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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rest — a break
  5. current — electric
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rash — a series
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. current — of water
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rash — hasty
  21. current — happening now
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. fan — to cool the air

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