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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 124 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. rule — a law
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fine — all right
  10. squash — to crush
  11. wake — a trail
  12. rule — government
  13. spell — a short time
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. fine — high quality
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spell — letters
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. spell — magic
  21. lie — to recline
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. wake — before a funeral

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