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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 120 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: staff · lash · march · clip · cabinet · game · sharp · current

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. clip — to cut
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. current — of water
  5. march — music
  6. current — electric
  7. game — wild animals
  8. march — the month
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. staff — employees
  11. march — the month
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. current — happening now
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. game — a match
  16. clip — for paper
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. staff — a stick
  23. clip — a video
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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