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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 116 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. season — of the year
  3. firm — decided
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — government
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rest — what's left
  16. tube — the underground
  17. season — in sport
  18. firm — steady
  19. rest — a break
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rest — what's left
  24. firm — a company

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