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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. staff — employees
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. charge — in control
  6. tube — a container
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. swing — music
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. swing — to play on
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wind — moving air
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bass — the fish
  18. swing — in golf
  19. staff — a stick
  20. tube — the underground
  21. charge — a price
  22. staff — employees
  23. mark — a grade
  24. tube — in a tire

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