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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: bass · lash · bat · charge · safe · sharp · rush · last

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. last — to go on
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. charge — a price
  11. last — final
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. charge — electricity
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. last — finally
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bat — the animal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — in control
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. safe — out of danger

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