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

Word bank: lash · calf · coach · wind · root · straw · current · suit

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — clothes
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. current — electric
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — of a plant
  11. wind — moving air
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. root — the cause
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. suit — in cards
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. suit — to fit
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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