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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. charge — a price
  7. pass — a permit
  8. charge — electricity
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. plane — a tool
  14. content — the amount
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. drill — army training
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. charge — in control
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. content — happy
  24. dip — to sink

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