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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: roll · object · swing · charge · mark · cap · bay · lash

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. object — to protest
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. charge — a price
  5. mark — a grade
  6. roll — a list
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cap — a hat
  10. charge — in control
  11. mark — a trace
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. swing — music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. roll — a cake
  20. object — a thing
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. object — an aim
  24. swing — to play on

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