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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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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: chip · rule · wave · rush · lash · wound · press · mark

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rule — a law
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rule — government
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. press — to push
  24. wave — of the sea

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