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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. band — a music group
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bore — to tire
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. cue — a signal
  12. band — a ring
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rule — a law
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cue — a hint
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. cue — for pool
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rest — a break
  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