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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. charge — a price
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. craft — a skill
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. craft — boats
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. charge — in control
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. wake — a trail
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. vault — a safe
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — government
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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