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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: rule · rush · ball · lash · bay · bore · ground · lean

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — government
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ground — crushed
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lean — thin
  14. rush — hurry
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ground — a position
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bore — to drill

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