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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. charge — electricity
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. charge — a price
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. staff — employees
  11. charge — in control
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. staff — employees
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. roll — a list
  22. can — a tin
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. can — a tin

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