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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. lash — a whip stroke
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rule — a law
  4. pop — to visit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pop — music
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. kick — in football
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pop — soda
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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