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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. current — electric
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rock — a stone
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. season — of the year
  10. firm — a company
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wound — an injury
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. rock — music
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. firm — decided
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. season — in sport
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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