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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cue — for pool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rest — a break
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rule — government
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rule — a law
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rule — to rule 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