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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. fine — all right
  4. kick — in football
  5. rule — a law
  6. bank — for money
  7. present — the time now
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rash — a series
  10. game — a match
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rule — government
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. present — a gift
  20. fine — high quality
  21. game — wild animals
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. present — there
  24. rash — hasty

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