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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · can · lash · row · sharp · temple · stand · suit

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. can — a tin
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — in cards
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rule — a law
  16. suit — to fit
  17. row — to paddle
  18. rule — government
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. suit — clothes
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. row — a line
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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