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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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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: rush · rock · kid · lash · safe · rule · straw · row

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. row — to paddle
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rule — government
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rock — music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. row — a line
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. rule — a law
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rock — a stone
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. kid — to tease

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