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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rule — a law
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. rule — government
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mark — a trace
  16. chair — a leader
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. charge — in control
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. stand — to bear
  24. mark — a grade

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