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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. current — happening now
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. race — a contest
  7. current — electric
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. spell — magic
  10. season — of the year
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. race — humankind
  13. spell — a short time
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wake — a trail
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. current — of water
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. race — the arms race
  22. season — in sport
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spell — letters

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