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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pass — a permit
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. cell — a phone
  8. mug — a face
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rule — a law
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. cell — in biology
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mug — to rob

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