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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lie — to recline
  3. charge — a price
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. race — the arms race
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. last — to go on
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. last — finally
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. race — humankind
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — final
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. race — a contest

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