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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. tube — the underground
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. rule — a law
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. swing — in golf
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. swing — music
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. tube — a container
  22. branch — a division
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rule — government

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