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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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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. row — a line
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. scale — in music
  7. snap — to click
  8. rule — a law
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rule — government
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rash — a series
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. row — to paddle
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. scale — size or range
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rash — hasty

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