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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: rock · lash · key · wax · perch · craft · row · current

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. perch — the fish
  3. current — of water
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. key — the most important part
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rock — a stone
  8. craft — boats
  9. key — in music
  10. craft — a skill
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rock — music
  17. row — a line
  18. current — happening now
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. row — to paddle
  21. current — electric
  22. wax — to grow
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. wax — in the ear

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