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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: charge · fan · bore · file · lash · sharp · stand · temple

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. file — a document
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bore — to drill
  9. file — a line of people
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. sharp — clever
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. charge — a price
  16. bore — to tire
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. charge — in control
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. file — a tool
  24. stand — to bear

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