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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. track — a song
  3. degree — from a university
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rule — a law
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. degree — an amount
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. rule — government
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. degree — temperature
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. track — a path
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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