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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. current — happening now
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. current — of water
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. last — final
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. last — to go on
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fork — in a road
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. last — finally
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. current — electric
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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