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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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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: rule · deal · mate · fine · lash · temple · chest · hand

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chest — of your body
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. chest — a box
  6. mate — a friend
  7. deal — to handle
  8. hand — in cards
  9. hand — help
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. chest — of your body
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fine — all right
  23. mate — a partner
  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