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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 · current · firm · craft · straw · cue · mate · saw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mate — to breed
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. current — happening now
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mate — a friend
  10. craft — a skill
  11. firm — steady
  12. cue — for pool
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. cue — a signal
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. saw — the tool
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. cue — a hint
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. mate — a partner
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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