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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.

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: present · nail · charge · kick · lash · suit · hide · spell

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — clothes
  3. spell — magic
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — letters
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. present — there
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. suit — in cards
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. present — the time now
  19. charge — in control
  20. kick — in football
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. present — a gift

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