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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: ball · charge · object · last · firm · lean · lash · saw

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lean — to bend
  5. saw — the tool
  6. charge — in control
  7. lean — thin
  8. last — to go on
  9. ball — a dance
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ball — a great time
  12. firm — a company
  13. charge — a price
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. last — finally
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. last — final
  19. object — to protest
  20. saw — the tool
  21. firm — decided
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. firm — steady

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