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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. charge — a price
  4. wind — moving air
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. board — a committee
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. band — a music group
  12. charge — electricity
  13. foot — a measure
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. charge — in control
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. board — to get on
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. band — a ring
  24. sharp — clever

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