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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. charge — in control
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cue — for pool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. perch — the fish
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rash — a series
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. charge — a price
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cue — a hint
  24. ball — a dance

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