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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · leaves · row · hide · lash · can · current · last

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  3. current — happening now
  4. can — to be able to
  5. saw — the tool
  6. row — a line
  7. current — electric
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. row — to paddle
  13. last — to go on
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. last — finally
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. can — a tin
  21. last — final
  22. can — a tin
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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