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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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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 · rash · rule · drill · cue · mark · object · swing

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — government
  5. object — a thing
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. rash — a series
  8. cue — for pool
  9. object — to protest
  10. rash — hasty
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. object — an aim
  15. mark — a grade
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. swing — music
  19. drill — a practice
  20. swing — to play on
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mark — a trace

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