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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 120 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. race — the arms race
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. rash — a series
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. spring — the season
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. spring — a coil
  17. suit — clothes
  18. race — humankind
  19. spring — of water
  20. wound — an injury
  21. rash — hasty
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. wound — an injury
  24. race — a contest

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