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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. last — final
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. track — a path
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. last — finally
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. charge — electricity
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. last — to go on
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. charge — a price
  24. track — a song

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