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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wound — an injury
  6. charge — a price
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — the underground
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wound — an injury
  13. charge — in control
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — a permit
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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