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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: bat · lash · current · firm · lean · calf · rock · swing

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. swing — to play on
  4. firm — a company
  5. rock — music
  6. firm — decided
  7. swing — in golf
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. current — electric
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. current — of water
  14. swing — music
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. current — happening now
  23. firm — steady
  24. calf — a young animal

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