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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rule — government
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fine — all right
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — a company
  14. can — a tin
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. fine — high quality
  20. firm — decided
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rule — a law
  24. fall — the season

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