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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: lash · mate · pound · bay · cabinet · rush · current · stick

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mate — to breed
  12. current — of water
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rush — hurry
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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