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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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468
Word bank
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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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 — an eyelash
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — in control
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. object — an aim
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. spring — a coil
  12. pit — a hole
  13. charge — a price
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. object — to protest
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. object — a thing
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pass — a permit
  23. dip — a sauce
  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