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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. last — to go on
  5. charge — a price
  6. last — final
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. last — finally
  10. roll — a cake
  11. charge — electricity
  12. roll — a list
  13. charge — in control
  14. court — for sport
  15. pound — a weight
  16. court — of a king
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. court — of law
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. leaves — of a tree

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