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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rule — government
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rule — a law
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rule — to rule out

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