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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. drill — a practice
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. charge — in control
  5. drill — army training
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. key — in music
  8. chip — for betting
  9. prune — to trim
  10. charge — a price
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. charge — electricity
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pass — a permit
  20. key — for a lock
  21. prune — to trim
  22. chip — to eat
  23. squash — to crush
  24. drill — the tool

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