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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: pit · charge · chip · lash · hand · content · race · craft

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pit — in a race
  4. hand — in cards
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. hand — help
  8. charge — a price
  9. chip — to eat
  10. charge — in control
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. content — the amount
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. craft — boats
  18. content — happy
  19. race — humankind
  20. pit — a hole
  21. craft — a skill
  22. race — the arms race
  23. charge — electricity
  24. race — a contest

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