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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.

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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stand — to bear
  3. charge — in control
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rock — a stone
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rest — a break
  23. rock — music
  24. sharp — clever

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