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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 · bear · spell · mug · stock · chip · mine

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mug — a face
  8. stock — shares
  9. rule — government
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. spell — magic
  14. mug — a cup
  15. spell — a short time
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rule — a law
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. spell — letters
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bear — to put up with

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