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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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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: lash · firm · rule · clip · coach · cabinet · cap · pass

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. firm — steady
  3. clip — a video
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. cap — a lid
  6. rule — government
  7. cap — of ice
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. firm — decided
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. clip — for paper
  14. pass — a permit
  15. cap — a hat
  16. rule — a law
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. firm — a company
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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