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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 116 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: lash · straw · charge · fan · nail · pass · leaves · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. charge — a price
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. charge — electricity
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. spring — the season
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. charge — in control
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. spring — a coil

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