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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. current — happening now
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. current — electric
  6. fork — in a road
  7. rule — government
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to click
  10. current — of water
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. season — of the year
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. rule — a law
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. season — in sport

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