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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rule — a law
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cap — a hat
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. club — a group
  15. rule — government
  16. club — for golf
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — to wash
  20. club — for dancing
  21. scale — in music
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. scale — for weighing

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