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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: tube · lash · lie · chest · stand · rule · rash · ball

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rule — a law
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rash — hasty
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rash — a series
  9. tube — a container
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rule — government
  20. chest — of your body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ball — a great time

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