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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. charge — a price
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. can — a tin
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. can — a tin
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — to play on
  12. shower — to wash
  13. charge — in control
  14. swing — music
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. branch — a division
  22. shower — rain
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. safe — out of danger

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