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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 120 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: last · charge · shower · sharp · board · mark · lash · hide

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. last — finally
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. charge — in control
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. shower — rain
  9. sharp — clever
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. board — to get on
  14. last — final
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. mark — a trace
  18. charge — electricity
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. shower — to wash
  21. charge — a price
  22. board — a committee
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. last — to go on

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