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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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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: charge · can · net · bay · safe · nail · lash · game

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — in sport
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. can — a tin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. can — to be able to
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. charge — electricity
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. game — a match
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. charge — a price
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. charge — in control
  22. net — for catching
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. can — a tin

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