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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · charge · lash · chip · wind · sharp · suit · fine

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wind — moving air
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. object — an aim
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. charge — a price
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fine — all right
  15. suit — in cards
  16. object — a thing
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fine — high quality
  20. chip — for betting
  21. wind — moving air
  22. charge — in control
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lash — to lash out

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