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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. content — the amount
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rest — what's left
  6. content — happy
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. club — a group
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. craft — a skill
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. sharp — clever
  15. charge — in control
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. club — for dancing
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. club — for golf
  21. rest — a break
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. craft — boats

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