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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. rule — a law
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. last — to go on
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. last — final
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. last — finally
  19. snap — to click
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — government

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