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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. rule — government
  3. object — to protest
  4. can — a tin
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. can — a tin
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mark — a trace
  12. object — an aim
  13. mark — a grade
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ground — the earth
  16. spell — magic
  17. rule — a law
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. spell — a short time
  20. ground — a position
  21. object — a thing
  22. ground — crushed
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. spell — letters

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