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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · plane · wind · lash · suit · jam · scale · current

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. current — electric
  3. suit — in cards
  4. current — happening now
  5. wind — moving air
  6. scale — in music
  7. wind — moving air
  8. plane — a tool
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. suit — to fit
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. current — of water
  14. mate — a partner
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mate — to breed
  17. scale — size or range
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mate — a friend
  24. jam — in traffic

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