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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 116 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: suit · current · kick · lash · bear · game · rock · spring

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bear — the animal
  3. spring — a coil
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. game — wild animals
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. spring — the season
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. current — electric
  16. spring — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. bear — the animal
  19. game — a match
  20. rock — music
  21. current — of water
  22. suit — to fit
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bear — to put up with

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