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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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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: jam · current · tube · kid · can · mark · race · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. current — electric
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. tube — a container
  5. kid — child
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. race — the arms race
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. can — to be able to
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. race — a contest
  13. mark — a grade
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. race — humankind
  17. current — of water
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. mark — a trace
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. current — happening now
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. tube — in a tire

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