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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fine — all right
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. ball — a dance
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. charge — a price
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. charge — in control
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rule — a law
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rule — government
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. ruler — for measuring

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