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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rule — a law
  4. hand — help
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pound — a weight
  8. hand — in cards
  9. rule — government
  10. rash — a series
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lie — to recline
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. lie — an untruth

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