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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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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rock — music
  3. charge — in control
  4. face — to confront
  5. can — a tin
  6. charge — a price
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. swing — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. suit — to fit
  14. swing — to play on
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. swing — in golf
  18. suit — in cards
  19. charge — electricity
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to point toward
  22. can — to be able to
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rock — to move gently

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