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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 120 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. spell — a short time
  9. degree — from a university
  10. current — happening now
  11. degree — an amount
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. current — of water
  14. rest — what's left
  15. current — electric
  16. spell — letters
  17. prune — to trim
  18. degree — temperature
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. charge — a price
  22. rest — a break
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. spell — magic

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