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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. drill — a practice
  3. rule — a law
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rule — government
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. fine — high quality
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. drill — army training
  24. lash — to lash 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