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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wake — a trail
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. wound — an injury
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — a price
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. cell — a phone
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cell — in biology
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wound — an injury
  24. suit — in cards

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