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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bound — certain
  7. root — of a plant
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cue — for pool
  15. bound — obliged
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — a signal
  18. scale — size or range
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. root — of a word
  21. bound — tied together
  22. root — the cause
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. scale — in music

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