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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. land — a country
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. cap — a hat
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. key — the most important part
  13. hand — in cards
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — in music
  16. land — to come down
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. land — ground
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rule — government
  22. key — for a lock
  23. hand — help
  24. lash — to lash out

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