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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rock — a stone
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rule — a law
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rash — a series
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. hand — help
  18. net — after costs
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rock — music
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. rash — hasty
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — for catching

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