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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: lean · lash · wake · spring · suit · fine · charge · pit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pit — a hole
  6. lean — to bend
  7. wake — a trail
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. fine — all right
  10. lean — thin
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pit — in a race
  14. spring — the season
  15. fine — high quality
  16. suit — in cards
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. spring — a coil
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. spring — of water
  23. fine — a penalty
  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