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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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. charge — in control
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. spell — letters
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pitch — completely
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. kick — in football
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. spell — magic

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