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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. charge — in control
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. charge — a price
  10. pass — a permit
  11. ball — a dance
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. content — happy
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. hand — in cards
  22. content — the amount
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — to go away

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