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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bass — low music
  11. rule — government
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pop — soda
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wax — to grow
  18. rule — a law
  19. pop — to visit
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. pop — music

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