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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rash — a series
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. club — for dancing
  5. board — to get on
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. ball — a great time
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. board — a committee
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. club — for golf
  14. ball — a dance
  15. chip — for betting
  16. club — a group
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. rule — government
  22. kick — in football
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. chip — to eat

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