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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. fall — the season
  3. rule — government
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. firm — a company
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cue — for pool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. cold — an illness
  16. firm — decided
  17. bank — of a river
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cold — not warm
  20. firm — steady
  21. rule — a law
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. cue — a hint

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