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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. charge — electricity
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. squash — to crush
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. charge — in control
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pop — music
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. charge — a price

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