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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: rule · face · craft · rock · mouse · lash · spring · suit

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. rule — government
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rule — a law
  6. rock — a stone
  7. spring — a coil
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. spring — the season
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. face — to confront
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. spring — of water
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. craft — a skill

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