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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: lash · saw · temple · nail · deal · straw · current · chip

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. current — of water
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. current — electric
  6. deal — to handle
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. current — happening now
  24. chip — for betting

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