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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · charge · lash · chip · wind · sharp

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. charge — in control
  3. chip — to eat
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. chip — for betting
  8. object — an aim
  9. charge — electricity
  10. object — a thing
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. sharp — clever
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. object — to protest
  17. wind — moving air
  18. 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