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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 · squash · land · lash · lie · pit · cap · bay

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pit — a hole
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — the sport
  11. lie — to recline
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. cap — a hat
  15. land — a country
  16. squash — to crush
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. land — to come down
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pit — in a race
  22. land — ground
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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