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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: lash · object · can · kick · straw · court · pass · charge

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. charge — in control
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. object — to protest
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. kick — in football
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. can — a tin
  12. object — a thing
  13. can — to be able to
  14. court — for sport
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. object — an aim
  19. pass — a permit
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. charge — a price
  22. court — of a king
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. court — of law

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