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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. spell — a short time
  3. swing — music
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. swing — to play on
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. lean — thin
  10. charge — in control
  11. mine — for digging
  12. charge — a price
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. present — the time now
  15. spell — letters
  16. present — there
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. present — a gift
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. spell — magic
  23. charge — electricity
  24. swing — in golf

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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