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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. current — electric
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. can — to be able to
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. chair — a leader
  11. swing — to play on
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. rock — a stone
  15. can — a tin
  16. current — happening now
  17. can — a tin
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rock — music
  20. swing — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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