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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. cap — a hat
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. land — a country
  7. row — a line
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — to handle
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. row — to paddle
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. land — ground
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. land — to come down
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

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