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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. suit — to fit
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. charge — electricity
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. current — electric
  12. cue — for pool
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. charge — a price
  16. suit — clothes
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. current — of water
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. cue — a hint
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. cue — a signal
  24. current — happening now

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