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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.

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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. charge — a price
  4. pass — a permit
  5. net — for catching
  6. court — of a king
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. spring — a coil
  11. court — of law
  12. rush — hurry
  13. charge — in control
  14. net — after costs
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. court — for sport
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rule — government
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — the season
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. charge — electricity

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