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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mark — a trace
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. band — a music group
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. current — happening now
  11. craft — a skill
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. craft — boats
  14. current — electric
  15. mark — a grade
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. file — a tool
  18. band — a ring
  19. file — a line of people
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. file — a document
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. lash — an eyelash

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