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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. charge — in control
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. sharp — clever
  9. charge — electricity
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fork — in a road
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. face — to confront
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. craft — boats
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. charge — a price
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. face — to point toward
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lash — an eyelash

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