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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. charge — in control
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. perch — the fish
  6. shower — rain
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. deal — to handle
  10. charge — electricity
  11. squash — the sport
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. charge — a price
  20. shower — to wash
  21. pitch — completely
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. deal — an agreement

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