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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: kick · stand · lash · rule · band · nail · perch · safe

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. band — a music group
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — in football
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rule — government
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. band — a ring
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. perch — the fish
  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