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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bulb — for light
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bulb — for light
  8. saw — the tool
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rule — a law
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. saw — the tool
  17. perch — the fish
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rule — government
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bulb — of a plant

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