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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. staff — employees
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. staff — employees
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stand — to bear
  14. present — a gift
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. staff — a stick
  18. charge — a price
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. charge — in control
  21. season — of the year
  22. lie — to recline
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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