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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rule — government
  3. kick — in football
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rule — a law
  7. wound — an injury
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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