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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — in cards
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. capital — a city
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. capital — money
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. drill — army training
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rush — hurry
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. charge — a price
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — to lash out

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