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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: jam · club · lash · drill · charge · stem · chair · suit

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. suit — to fit
  3. charge — in control
  4. club — a group
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. charge — a price
  13. drill — the tool
  14. chair — a leader
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — army training
  19. club — for dancing
  20. charge — electricity
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. club — for golf
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. stem — to come from

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