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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. firm — steady
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — a price
  5. last — final
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lean — thin
  9. firm — decided
  10. last — to go on
  11. firm — a company
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. last — finally
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. lean — to bend

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