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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. rule — a law
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rule — government
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. cue — a hint
  13. firm — steady
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — the animal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. firm — a company
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. cue — a signal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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