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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: charge · rule · kick · chair · lash · mark · rash · spell

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. kick — in football
  3. charge — a price
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. charge — in control
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. rule — government
  8. spell — magic
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. charge — electricity
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mark — a grade
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rule — a law
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mark — a trace
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. chair — a leader

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