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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. clip — for paper
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mug — a face
  6. bear — the animal
  7. charge — a price
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bear — the animal
  11. clip — a video
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. charge — electricity
  15. clip — to cut
  16. wax — to grow
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mug — to rob
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. roll — a cake
  23. rule — government
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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