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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rule — government
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. rule — a law
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fine — high quality
  11. object — to protest
  12. toast — bread
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mate — a partner
  19. object — a thing
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. chair — a leader
  23. object — an aim
  24. fine — all right

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