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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. game — a match
  5. cue — a signal
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. charge — a price
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. season — in sport
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. season — of the year
  20. game — wild animals
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. charge — in control

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