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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: charge · press · lie · staff · mate · content · lash · pitcher

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mate — a partner
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. staff — a stick
  7. mate — to breed
  8. charge — in control
  9. content — happy
  10. charge — a price
  11. staff — employees
  12. press — a publisher
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. charge — electricity
  17. content — the amount
  18. mate — a friend
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. staff — employees
  23. press — to push
  24. press — newspapers

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