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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. lie — to recline
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bark — to shout
  8. craft — a skill
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. charge — a price
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. craft — boats
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — rain

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