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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · rock · rule · pound · club · calf

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. pound — a weight
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. rock — music
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. club — for golf
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rock — a stone
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — to rule 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