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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.

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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. hand — help
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. fall — the season
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rule — government
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. cue — for pool
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. hand — in cards
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. lie — an untruth

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