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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: dip · swing · current · stick · last · spell · board · lash

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. spell — letters
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. swing — music
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. board — to get on
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. board — a committee
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. last — final
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — a short time
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. last — finally
  19. swing — in golf
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. dip — to sink
  22. current — happening now
  23. last — to go on
  24. current — electric

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