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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
468
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: cap · clip · key · rule · mug · ball · lash · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rule — a law
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. key — in music
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. clip — for paper
  14. cap — a lid
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. mug — a face
  17. ball — a great time
  18. clip — a video
  19. cap — a hat
  20. key — the most important part
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. clip — to cut
  24. mug — a cup

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