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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bear — the animal
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rule — government
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rush — hurry
  12. stock — shares
  13. rule — a law
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stock — goods
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lash — to lash out

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