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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. present — there
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. charge — electricity
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. vault — a safe
  8. present — a gift
  9. charge — in control
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. season — of the year
  16. race — humankind
  17. pass — a permit
  18. race — a contest
  19. charge — a price
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. season — in sport
  23. present — the time now
  24. patient — a sick person

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