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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. squash — to crush
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rock — music
  8. charge — a price
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. can — a tin
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. can — to be able to
  20. squash — the sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. charge — electricity

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