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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: lash · rule · land · ball · can · fine · deal · snap

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. can — a tin
  5. land — to come down
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. fine — all right
  8. land — ground
  9. snap — to click
  10. fine — high quality
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ball — a dance
  14. can — a tin
  15. deal — to handle
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. land — a country
  19. rule — a law
  20. ball — a great time
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rule — government
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rule — to rule out

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