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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. capital — a city
  8. capital — money
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. file — a tool
  11. charge — a price
  12. rush — hurry
  13. chair — a leader
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bear — the animal
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bear — the animal
  22. charge — in control
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. file — a document

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