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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. tear — from crying
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. charge — a price
  11. rest — a break
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mine — for digging
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rest — what's left

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