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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 124 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cap — a hat
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bass — low music
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cap — of ice
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. shower — rain
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — government
  19. cap — a lid
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bass — the fish
  22. shower — to wash
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bowl — a dish

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