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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mine · rule · ball · stick · rash · bore · lash · fall

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rule — a law
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rule — government
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fall — the season
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bore — to tire
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. fall — to drop

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