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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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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: rush · swing · cue · lash · bay · rule · press · clip

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. press — to push
  4. rule — a law
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rush — hurry
  16. clip — to cut
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. press — a publisher
  19. clip — a video
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cue — a signal
  24. clip — for paper

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