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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. spring — a coil
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. charge — in control
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. spring — the season
  14. mark — a trace
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. spring — of water
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mark — a grade
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. charge — a price
  22. branch — a division
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. charge — electricity

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