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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. can — a tin
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. charge — in control
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. sharp — clever
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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