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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 116 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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. charge — a price
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. spell — letters
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mate — a partner
  16. spell — a short time
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wound — an injury
  22. charge — in control
  23. wind — moving air
  24. spell — magic

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