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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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Word bank
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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: mug · swing · squash · leaves · lie · wind · lash · rule

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. swing — to play on
  7. rule — a law
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. swing — in golf
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. mug — a cup
  16. squash — to crush
  17. rule — government
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mug — a face
  20. swing — music
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mug — to rob
  23. squash — the sport
  24. leaves — of a tree

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