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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. charge — in control
  3. spring — of water
  4. bat — the animal
  5. branch — a division
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. charge — a price
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. last — finally
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spring — the season
  16. last — final
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. suit — to fit
  22. charge — electricity
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. suit — clothes

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