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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. mate — a partner
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. charge — electricity
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. charge — a price
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mate — a friend
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. charge — in control
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — to shout
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. deal — to handle
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mate — to breed

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