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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. charge — in control
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. roll — a list
  18. charge — a price
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. sharp — clever

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