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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. race — humankind
  3. rest — a break
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bound — obliged
  6. season — in sport
  7. firm — steady
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. race — a contest
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bore — to tire
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. race — the arms race
  15. rest — what's left
  16. season — of the year
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. firm — a company
  22. bound — certain
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. firm — decided

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