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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — government
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. toast — bread
  16. fork — in a road
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bark — to shout
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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