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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
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: row · chip · jam · safe · capital · current · clip · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  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. lash — a whip stroke
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. current — of water
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. row — to paddle
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. chip — to eat
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. chip — for betting
  16. clip — for paper
  17. capital — money
  18. current — happening now
  19. capital — a city
  20. clip — a video
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. clip — to cut
  23. current — electric
  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