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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: rush · rule · club · lash · chair · deal · pound · dip

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rule — government
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pound — a weight
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chair — a leader
  16. rush — hurry
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. club — a group
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rule — a law
  21. dip — to sink
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. club — for golf
  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