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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.

Make a worksheet

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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. tear — from crying
  4. current — electric
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. mark — a trace
  8. chair — a leader
  9. tear — from crying
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. current — happening now
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. current — of water
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. tear — to rip
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mark — to pay attention

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