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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 124 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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. rule — government
  7. present — the time now
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. hand — in cards
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rule — a law
  24. pass — to spend time

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