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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. court — of a king
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bound — obliged
  5. court — of law
  6. court — for sport
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. land — to come down
  10. bound — tied together
  11. land — a country
  12. rule — a law
  13. bound — certain
  14. rule — government
  15. bore — to drill
  16. land — ground
  17. bank — for money
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bank — for money
  24. rash — a series

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