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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rule — a law
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ball — a great time
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pit — in a race
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. spell — magic
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. spell — letters
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rule — government
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cue — a signal

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