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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. tube — a container
  6. cap — a lid
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. content — the amount
  9. rule — government
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. staff — employees
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. cap — of ice
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. content — happy
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rule — a law
  24. cap — a hat

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