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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. charge — electricity
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bound — certain
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. staff — employees
  9. land — to come down
  10. charge — a price
  11. face — to point toward
  12. shower — rain
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. land — ground
  15. bound — tied together
  16. face — to confront
  17. staff — employees
  18. shower — to wash
  19. perch — the fish
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bound — obliged
  22. charge — in control
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. land — a country

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