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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: mine · lash · rule · suit · fine · ground · current · row

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. row — to paddle
  4. fine — all right
  5. rule — a law
  6. suit — in cards
  7. current — of water
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rule — government
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. row — a line
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ground — a position
  16. mine — for digging
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. mine — belonging to me

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