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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — government
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pitch — completely
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. spell — a short time
  13. can — a tin
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — magic
  21. rash — a series
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rash — on the skin

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