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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rule — a law
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rock — music
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. rock — a stone
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rush — hurry
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. present — there
  21. rule — government
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. face — part of the head
  24. fine — high quality

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