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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. chair — a leader
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitch — completely
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. charge — in control
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lie — to recline
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. lash — to lash out

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