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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: object · charge · mug · bay · chip · hide · lash · lean

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lean — thin
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. object — a thing
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. chip — for betting
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. mug — a cup
  16. object — to protest
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. chip — to eat
  19. charge — in control
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. charge — a price
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. charge — electricity
  24. object — an aim

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