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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: mine · cue · lash · rule · fine · tear · pass · face

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. fine — high quality
  3. face — to point toward
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pass — a permit
  7. face — to confront
  8. rule — government
  9. cue — a hint
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rule — a law
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. tear — from crying
  21. cue — for pool
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. fine — all right
  24. lash — an eyelash

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