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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 120 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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. tube — the underground
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fork — in a road
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. file — a document
  11. charge — a price
  12. tube — a container
  13. file — a line of people
  14. rash — a series
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. charge — in control
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. deal — to handle
  19. file — a tool
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rash — hasty
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lie — an untruth

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