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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. rest — what's left
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rest — a break
  7. bass — low music
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bark — to shout
  12. rest — what's left
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rule — a law
  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