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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. fall — to drop
  6. charge — a price
  7. firm — steady
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. fall — to drop
  10. kid — child
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. firm — decided
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. fall — the season
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. kid — to tease
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. firm — a company
  24. object — an aim

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