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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · suit · temple · lash · kick · fan · straw · current

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. current — happening now
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. rush — hurry
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. current — of water
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. current — electric
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. kick — in football
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lash — to lash out

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