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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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. charge — in control
  3. bat — the animal
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rush — hurry
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. charge — a price
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. craft — boats
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — electricity
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. object — to protest
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rush — a thrill

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