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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: firm · saw · row · root · pop · current · swing · lash

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. current — happening now
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. root — of a plant
  7. current — electric
  8. firm — decided
  9. pop — to visit
  10. row — to paddle
  11. saw — the tool
  12. current — of water
  13. root — the cause
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. firm — steady
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. pop — music
  22. root — of a word
  23. firm — a company
  24. row — a line

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