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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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Word bank
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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. scale — in music
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rule — government
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bank — of a river
  7. kick — in football
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bank — for money
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rule — a law
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. bark — to shout
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. chip — to eat
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bank — for money

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