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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. can — a tin
  4. rule — government
  5. bass — the fish
  6. drill — the tool
  7. root — of a plant
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. root — of a word
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bass — low music
  13. deal — to handle
  14. can — a tin
  15. drill — a practice
  16. root — the cause
  17. drill — army training
  18. rule — a law
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lash — to lash out

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