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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 120 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rash — a series
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rash — hasty
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. swing — music
  14. fine — all right
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a music group
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rule — government
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bore — to drill

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