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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. spring — a coil
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. season — in sport
  5. staff — employees
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. staff — employees
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. spring — of water
  12. prune — to trim
  13. staff — a stick
  14. race — humankind
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. prune — to trim
  18. race — the arms race
  19. season — of the year
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. spring — the season
  23. race — a contest
  24. stand — on your feet

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