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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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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. spell — letters
  4. suit — to fit
  5. can — a tin
  6. rest — a break
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rest — what's left
  9. dip — to sink
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. spring — of water
  12. rule — a law
  13. can — a tin
  14. rest — what's left
  15. spring — the season
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. spell — magic
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. suit — in cards
  21. spell — a short time
  22. can — to be able to
  23. spring — a coil
  24. rule — government

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