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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cap — a hat
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rest — a break
  11. current — of water
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wind — moving air
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cap — a lid
  17. suit — to fit
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — shares
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stock — goods
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wind — moving air
  24. cap — of ice

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