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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 116 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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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. squash — to crush
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. charge — in control
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. saw — the tool
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. net — for catching
  17. squash — the sport
  18. charge — a price

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