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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: season · lash · fan · mug · rash · rule · cap · drill

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. rash — hasty
  4. season — of the year
  5. mug — a cup
  6. season — in sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rule — government
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rash — a series
  11. rule — a law
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. drill — a practice
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. mug — a face
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mug — to rob
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — the tool

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