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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. rule — a law
  3. tube — a container
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. tube — the underground
  11. track — to keep track
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mug — a cup
  14. track — a path
  15. row — to paddle
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. row — a line
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rest — what's left
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. track — a song
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. mug — a face
  24. rule — government

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