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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. squash — the sport
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bank — of a river
  15. rest — a break
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. rest — what's left

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