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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rash — a series
  6. rest — a break
  7. charge — in control
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. saw — the tool
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bass — low music
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. charge — a price

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