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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mate — a friend
  3. hand — in cards
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mate — a partner
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. charge — a price
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pit — a hole
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mark — a trace
  15. charge — electricity
  16. squash — to crush
  17. hand — help
  18. mate — to breed
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pit — in a race
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. charge — in control

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