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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. charge — in control
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — in a road
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. ground — crushed
  9. can — a tin
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ground — the earth
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. charge — electricity
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ground — a position
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. charge — a price

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