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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. band — a music group
  5. last — to go on
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. charge — in control
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. band — a ring
  11. sharp — clever
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. charge — a price
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. last — finally
  20. mark — a trace
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mark — a grade
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. last — final

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