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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. wind — moving air
  4. charge — electricity
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. charge — in control
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. scale — in music
  12. wind — moving air
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — humankind
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. saw — the tool
  24. charge — a price

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