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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. chest — a box
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. saw — the tool
  5. last — to go on
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. charge — a price
  12. chest — of your body
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. ground — the earth
  16. chest — of your body
  17. last — finally
  18. last — final
  19. ground — a position
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. charge — in control
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. ground — crushed

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