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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. march — music
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. march — the month
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. cue — for pool
  11. land — a country
  12. land — ground
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. kid — to tease
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. cue — a hint
  19. land — to come down
  20. cue — a signal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kid — child
  23. pound — a weight
  24. march — the month

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