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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 124 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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. spell — a short time
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. spell — letters
  9. current — happening now
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. court — of law
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. current — electric
  15. current — of water
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. court — of a king
  19. court — for sport
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. spell — magic
  24. lash — to lash out

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