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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rule — a law
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rock — a stone
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. march — the month
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rock — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pop — music
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pop — to visit
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rule — government
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — to sink
  22. march — music
  23. rush — to hurry
  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