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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: wax · straw · jam · lash · fan · drill · current · suit

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. drill — the tool
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — of water
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — army training
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — clothes
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. suit — to fit
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wax — to grow
  24. current — electric

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